Welcome to Petals! 
Petals is a purpose-built unit which has been designed especially for two-year olds. We are positioned at the bottom of the school grounds and we are best accessed through the gate on Dane Hill Drive.
As Early Years professionals, we recognise that children develop and learn in different ways, at different rates and through positive relationships with key adults. When your child starts in Petals they are assigned a key person who will observe them as they explore and play, note their interests and plan for their next steps. This ensures children learn through planned, purposeful, activities that are individual to their needs and interests; not forgetting that children learn best when they are having fun!
Petals is not a school environment and your child will not take part in formal lessons, however, they will be developing the skills that they need to learn. They will be building their communication skills, developing their personal, social and emotional skills and will have lots of opportunities to strengthen their gross and fine motor skills.
Our Daily Routine
Petals opens for morning children at 8.30am and for afternoon children at 12.15pm
- Children are welcomed into the setting and activities begin, including ‘hello’ time on the carpet.
- Children have free flow access to provision, both indoors and outdoors. Enhanced activities are planned every day, based on children’s interests.
- Mid-session, we have snack time. Children are offered a range of snack options over the course of the week, including fruit, toast, crumpets, pancakes and muffins. Children also have a choice of milk or water.
- Children then continue to have free flow access to the provision, both indoors and outdoors.
- Towards the end of the session we tidy up, with the children’s help.
- We finish our session with a shared story or singing time.
Learning and Development
Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which all take place both indoors and outdoors. The curriculum for early years is made up of seven areas of learning. In Petals we predominantly focus on securing the prime areas of learning (Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, and Physical Development). More information and examples of what this may look like can be found by following the link below:
Children’s Own Toys
If your child has a special toy or comforter, that is not a dummy, then they can bring it to Petals whilst they are settling in. Once your child is fully settled they can still bring it, however, we will encourage them to put it in their bag or leave it on the side out of reach, as young children can get very upset when other children want to play with their special toy.
Nappies
As children in Petals are only two we are aware they may be still in nappies. If your child is still in nappies, you should bring them to their session in a clean, dry nappy, along with spare nappies and wipes in a bag. If you need any guidance on toilet training, please ask. We are happy to help and will work with you when your child is ready to toilet train.
Reading
At Carrwood Primary School, reading is at the heart of everything we do. During their time in Petals your child will be regularly exposed to a range of stories and rhymes; evidence has proven that early exposure to good quality books and rhymes has a huge impact on children’s vocabulary development and later reading success.
In order to support the development of these key skills at home, in line with the rest of school, your child will choose a book on a Monday and as very young children like to read/look at the same book over and over again, please share it with them as many times as you can, before returning it the following Monday to be changed. Children are rewarded for bringing their books back to be changed every Monday.
Learning Journeys and Proud Clouds
Every child in Petals has their own Learning Journey which includes their observations and any fabulous pieces of work they create independently, such as paintings etc. Your child’s Learning Journey is always available for you to look at; just ask a member of staff. We value all of your contributions to your child’s Learning Journey and love to hear about all the things they have been learning at home. Please keep sharing these with us, we love to see photographs of the things they do whilst not in Petals. You could also complete a ‘Proud Cloud’, which are available in our cloakroom. Please feel free to help yourself to one at any time. On the ‘Proud Cloud’ you can write anything that your child has done at home which makes you proud or happy. This could include giving up their dummy, toilet training, or sleeping in their own bed all night!
