Ducklings Room

Aged 3-18 months

In the Duckling room, babies are learning to spread their wings as they forge new relationships with their nursery carers and friends, and explore a new environment. 

Our aim in this room is to follow your baby's individual routine as closely as possible, enabling both you and your baby to gain the trust and confidence needed to achieve a smooth transition from the home environment into nursery. Once settled, and in partnership with parents, your child will be encouraged to join in the nursery routines.

Our Duckling Room staff are very experienced in caring for babies. They provide a happy and stimulating environment and offer a range of activities using the framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage as a guide for planning play and focussed activities. Our babies go for regular walks using the Turtle Bus or the buggies, and all can enjoy our outside play area that has a soft all-weather floor and canopied area.

Hedgehogs Room
Aged 18-28 months

In the Hedgehogs Room our toddlers learn to socialise with each other. We encourage them to play together and share toys with their friends. Their language starts to develop at this stage and they learn key words to express themselves to their adult carers as well as to each other.

The children love to spend time playing outside in the nursery garden and going for walks in our Kiddi Bus. They also like dancing and play with musical instruments. We have a 'Home Corner' where the children can sit and look through the picture and story books,  a role-play area with countless themes to encourage their imagination, and a mark-making and small world play area.

Together with both adult-led and free-play activities, the children are able to make their own choices and lead their own learning.



Rabbits Room
Aged 28-36 months

In the Rabbits Room our children are constantly encountering new experiences, which they try to make meaning of. As they do so, they explore and investigate their environment, asking questions to extend their knowledge and skills. They develop confidence and build on what they already know. Well-planned play is central to the children's learning and is always challenging and fun.

The children enjoy the independent play opportunities they are offered. They are starting to forge friendships with each other as well as an attachment to their adult carers. In our 'zoned' areas the children are encouraged to lead their own learning by moving freely from zone to zone. These zones include art & messy play, role-play and home corner.



Pre-School Squirrels Room
Aged 3-5 years

In our pre-school, we prepare the children for their transition into primary school. For example, using their own lunch trays and serving themselves from our buffet prepares them for the scenario of a school canteen. We also encourage them to use the bathroom on their own as this teaches them to carry out self-care and hygiene routines confidently and carefully. Of course, there are always staff on hand to help when needed. In the pre-school, using numbers and counting is incorporated into the children’s daily routines and they will also begin to recognise letters and use letter sounds just as they will encounter once they reach big school.

Our pre-school room is zoned to support the seven areas of children’s development, adhering to the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance. We have a writing & mark-making table, a mathematics table, an art & messy table, a construction carpet, a role-play area and a cosy den and book corner. We also have a computer and access to an outdoor classroom, suitable for all weathers.

The seven areas of learning for the Early Years Foundation Stage are:

- Personal, Social & Emotional Development

- Communication & Language

- Physical Development

- Literacy

- Mathematics

- Understanding the World

- Expressive Arts & Design

You can read more about the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework here.



Outside Area

Our Outdoor Area provides an ideal space for the children to enjoy all aspects of outdoor play throughout the whole year, whatever the weather.

The Wetpour surface ensures safety and cushioning whilst our little charges explore the climbing tower and play on the larger toys. We have a canopy with pull-down sides providing weather-proofing for an all year round outdoor space.

Under our canopied area we have set up an outdoor classroom. Here the children can enjoy role play and art and craft activities and we also have a bookcase and play tents. Access to the outdoor area is from the pre-school room at the back of the building, and the children enjoy the freedom of being able to roam from inside to outside during core provision time.

Children gain enormous confidence through their outdoor play and at Carousel we want our children's health and well-being to be enhanced by their experiences outside. We also want them to understand growing cycles so we provide tubs and pots, as well as a mini greenhouse, for the children to plant a variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers that they will nurture and eventually see on their dinner plates!



Back to Facilities