Pre-School

Communication and language.

We help develop your child’s speaking and listening skills and build the foundations for reading and writing using phonics, letters and sounds and learning language and loving it.

Mathematics.

We cover important aspects of mathematical understanding and the foundations of numeracy. This area of learning includes counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns, making connections and working with numbers, shapes and patterns.

Understanding the world.

This very broad subject encourages children to develop the skills that help them make sense of the world. It forms the foundation for later work in science, design and technology, history, geography and ICT. Children learn to investigate and be curious, enthusiastic and experimental. We also look at our families and our communities.

Physical development.

This is about improving coordination, control, manipulation and movement skills both indoors and outdoors, using large pieces of equipment, tunnels, bikes, sandpit etc., these enable energetic play, hand-eye coordination and extends both fine motor skills and gross motor control. We also bring in outside activities such as Super strikers, Monkey music, Zumba and yoga when ever we can.

Expressive arts and design.

Children learn through creative play; it is fundamental to successful learning. Creativity also helps children to make connections between one area of learning and another. Art, music, role-play, imaginative play and cooking are all included in our program of creative learning.

Literacy.

This area covers reading and writing skills, we use story telling and imaginative play and encourage mark making in a number of ways in many situations.

Personal, social and emotional.

We support children in making relationships, managing feelings and behaviour and self confidence and self awareness

(Being me) – how we come to understand who we are and what we can do,  and how we look after ourselves.

(Being social) – how we come to understand ourselves in relation to others, how we make friends, understand the rules of society and behave towards others.

(Having feelings) – how we come to understand our own and others’ feelings and develop our ability to ‘stand in someone else’s shoes’ and see things from their point of view, referred to as empathy.

We feel these skills are essential for young children in all aspects of their lives.  It will help them to: relate well to other children and adults; make friends and get on with others; feel secure and valued; explore and learn confidently; and ultimately to feel good about themselves.

testimonials

What Parents Say

I have been so impressed with Michael’s development since he has started at Helitots. His time in the baby room run by Gayle and Verity was a lovely environment for him to settle and the range of activities he gets involved in is impressive. The Staff really helped his transition into the Nursery environment and took into account that I was still breastfeeding and struggling to transition to a bottle. He has recently moved into the Toddlers room where he does baking, a variety of play and lots of other activities,. Amy and Emily are really enthusiastic, he is so happy when I collect him. Michael was able to feed himself early and eats a varied diet, he is well mannered and when we ask him to do something he will listen. We feel this is comes from the Helitots environment where the experienced Staff really nurture, look after him and instil good manners and the correct amount of discipline, they have respect from Michael, and this is mirrored at home. Managed by Steve, who in my opinion is a magician at getting the children to sleep so easily, and has a lovely relationship with all the children, I can’t recommend Helitots enough, I only wish we had sent his older sister to Helitots too!

To ALL staff (past and present) at Helitots, We owe you the biggest thank you. You have helped not just Noah, but Evie & Aerin to grow, develop and become the children they are. When you rely on full time nursery care, where your children often do 40 hour week too, knowing you have a place for them that is safe, fun, educational and all the things in between cannot really be put into words. For the last 6 years their dad, Paul, has worked away so having the stability & familiarity of the nursery and staff has been a life line at times. We will always be grateful for everything you have done for our children. All 3 have been ready for school, are confident, easily make friends and (if we do say so ourselves, although they have there moments!) are pretty great kids. Never underestimate what you do. We always remember our first teachers at school, but it starts way before that and I know we will always remember all those at Helitots who have quite often been there and spent more time with, our children than we have and been there second parents. All the best for the future, you really are outstanding. Love Elle, Paul, Evie, Aerin & Noah xxx

Staff

At Helitots Day Nursery we believe that our children deserve the right to receive the best individual attention, a guarantee to care and an education of the highest degree. We provide a high ratio of quality early years childcare staff specialists and extremely skilled staff are fully trained with recognised qualifications in childcare.

Additionally, all our staff have undergone an enhanced Disclosure and Baring Service DBS formally criminal Records bureau (CRB).

We are proud of our staff retention rate and we put this down to careful selection. Janice and myself believe in looking after our staff and we hope we provide a fun and happy enviroment which benefits the children and staff.

Also, all our staff at Helitots have a Paediatric First Aid qualification.

When a child begins at Helitots they are allocated to a key person. This key person will have a special responsibility of building strong relationships with the children in their small group and will be the point of contact to parents who wish to discuss their child's development.