Nurture & Care...

Where young children take their first steps towards independence as they follow normal rhythms of eating, sleeping, and activity in a homelike atmosphere under the nurturing guidance of Montessori trained teachers.

• For children between 2 and 3 years
  

• The power of speech develops as language is applied to every activity.
  
• Small motor skills and eye-hand coordination are developed through the use of hand crafted blocks, puzzles and other learning materials. Indoor and outdoor exercise encourages the development of large motor skills.
  
• Books, art and music become important in the children’s lives as they learn to live, enjoy and work in a community setting.

Click for Image Gallery of the Young Child Community

Children as young as 2 / 3 have very different developmental needs to children aged 3 / 5.

• We recognise this and prepare our environments accordingly.
  
• At Forest Farm and Wolvercote separate areas meet the needs of our youngest children.
  
• At Iffley, a range of activities is presented but the space is shared with the whole group. We find teachers have an affinity to a particular age group, we try, whenever possible, to match this to the needs of the group.

Entry Policy to Forest Farm Primary from Oxford Montessori Nurseries

• Our philosophy and approach to allow children the freedom and time to develop in a structured nurturing, unpressurised environment is vital for their well being, self esteem and confidence and enjoyment of learning at this early stage. Our aim in the children's house (2 to 6 years) is for a child to get a well rounded education which eliminates problems later on in their learning.

• We want to see children happy and fulfilled, making the most of their childhood. This stage is such as short part of their lives and as a well known educationalist and poet Peter Dixon says 'The Spring time of their life.'

• Through our experience (and we have changed the entry age in the past) the longer children are left within the nurturing yet stimulating environment to follow their interests and make choices about what they see is important the better outcome. While it is tempting to think that an early move into a more formal enviroment may 'push' a child on it is often not the case.
  

• Entry point is at the beginning of the term a child turns 6 years old, but we look at the readiness of the child. A child's emotional readiness is the most important aspect when considering the right time for transition to the elementary school. Development of social skills play a large part when moving into the primary, the children need to be able to work together collaboratively, talking to, questioning and listening to others opinions positively.

A helpful transition

• It is vital that a child feels secure at all times through their school life and we endeavour to take steps to build a strong partnership between the Children's House and the primary.

• Links to enable children from the two settings to mix such as at play time, reading times and informal and formal visits to the primary are just some areas the children can get to know each other and feel comfortable with other other than their normal company.

• Primary teachers visiting the Children's house nurseries on and off site and building relationships with both children, teachers and parents.

• Invitations for nursery aged children to visit the primary classes and see the work and experience life in the primary.

• Talks to parents of nursery aged children from primary teachers which show photos and recordings of life in the primary at Forest Farm School and a time for any questions a parent may want to ask.

• Parents accompany visits with the Children's House teacher to the primary class.

• Primary and nursery teachers meet at regular termly intervals to assess children's readiness for the primary class.
  

Trips / Events / Performance...

• Farmer Gows. Friday 23rd March. (Children's House)

• Elementary Summer Walk. Thursday 19th April. (Elementary)

• Botanical Gardens Trip. 'Food Around the World.' Thursday 26th April. (Children's House)

• Elementary Field Trip to Hill End. Mapping & Orienteering. Monday 14th of May (Elementary)

• Lecture on Bees from Sarsden Honey. Thursday 24th May. (Elementary)

• World Wide Montessori Centenary. Sponsored walk and picnic with all children from our schools and nursery: Friday 15th June. (All welcome)

• Camping Night: Saturday 23rd or Saturday 30th of June 2007 depending on weather (All welcome)

• Elementary Schools Sports Day: Tuesday 3rd or 10th of July depending on weather (All welcome)

• Barn Dance & Promise Auction: Saturday 7th of July (All welcome)

• Elementary Trip. Sutton Courtney Environmental Centre. Thursday 19th of July
  

• Elementary 1 - 'Who Lives There?'

• Elementary 2 - 'Habitat Explorers'.

• Elementary Musical. 'The Owl & The Pussy Cat': Friday 20th July. (All welcome)

• Jemima Howdens. Special Breeds Animals. Date to be confirmed. (Children's House)

Development...

• Work will begin to develop the Barn adjacent to the school for use as a multi-sport play area.

• We will be joined by a new community of egg laying Hens

• We hope to be joined by a peacock and peahen shortly too

Legend: Black = School Events. Red = dates.

Nurture, care, education and democracy...

The Elementary Community (Currently available at Forest Farm School only)

Children are admitted into the Primary School in their 5th or 6th year. Entry is not automatic. An informal interview with parents and children is held to determine the child's entry point to the Primary. We look at the developmental maturity of individual children as well as their academic ability. Children will usually stay in Elementary 1 (6 yo 9yrs) for the full 3 year cycle before moving up to the Elementary 2 (9 to 12yrs)

• School start at 9am and finishes at 3pm.
• There is usually one extended day to 4pm for additional sports or activities
• Primary children may attend after-school activities until 5.30pm.

At the Primary level, the classrooms are equipped to build on past learning and respond to the children’s expanding view of their world.

Many familiar materials from the preschool environments are reintroduced to be used in more complex ways.

• New materials are introduced as the children move from concrete to abstract thinking.
  
• Now, the children not only choose activities within the classroom, they also choose to explore libraries, museums, and other sites that contain information they seek in their personal quests for knowledge and understanding.
  
• A storytelling tradition (Montessori’s Great Lessons) introduces the children to the history of the universe and humanity, and sparks interest in the details of science, maths, culture, and language.

Democracy / Participation. Greater expectations from children are natural at this point. Greater independence is possible; their role within the community life of the school is expanded.

• Children are taught to play an active part in the school's democracy.
• Children are encouraged to debate and vote on day to day issues and important policy too!
• We all learn and re-learn that the majority rule our school. If we want changes or feel hard done by we have to present our ideas clearly, win the debate and persuade others around to our course of action.
• The democracy is a vital part of the school. It is a fundamental part of a child's preparation for life in that it directly teaches children 'life skills'.
  

Our commitment to democracy and participation is based on Save the Children's "Never Too Young" campaign for real participation from children within schools. It is our commitment to putting the child at the heart of all we do.

Nurture, Care & Education for 3 to 6 year olds..

Pre-Primary children attend our Children's House environments. There are many different sessions they can attend. We do say however, that children must attend at least 2 separate sessions each week minimum. This greatly help the settling in process and the sense of community between the children. There are all-year-round options as well as terms attendance too.


The Principal, Judith Walker during a rehearsal for summer show.
Click here to see the Elementary Image Gallery

• At Iffley and Bicester children from the Young Child Community and Pre-Primary work in a single large space, where group lessons and opportunities for individual learning are offered according to the developmental needs and personalities of the children.
• At Forest Farm the Pre-Primary children have their own special Room in the Children's House. The emphasis is placed on extending the children cultural understanding of their world.
• The community offers children real opportunities to develop confidence and shape their activities
• The community stresses participation, cooperation, negotiation and independence
• There are structured opportunities for these children to spend time with the older primary aged children in the Elementary School.
• In addition to this these children can take part in after-school activities
• Special features of these learning environments...
• Mixed age groups. Just like the family our communities are made up from children who maybe as much as 3 years apart in age. We find the older children enjoy the responsibility and the younger ones are motivated by their older peers. Think of the social skills that are being learnt in this type of setting.
  
• Non-desk based learning. Children are encouraged to work in small groups and large tables or on the floor with mats. This is an active learning environment. Children learn best when they are comfortable!
• The partnerships with teachers. They really are partners. Not the font of all knowledge and not there to spoon feed children with the next 'lesson' but people to work with your children. This is a quest of discovery, the prize is an inquiring mind that does not associate learning with boredom.
• Active participation. Children and asked for their opinion on crucial aspects of their school life.
  
• The classrooms are cheerful spaces, full of interest
• The classrooms equipped with beautiful materials designed to intrigue and guide children through basic educational concepts.
  

• Colourful button and zip boards help them learn personal skills.
  
• Child-sized tables and chairs, shelves, vases for flowers, buckets, sponges and mops help them develop responsibility for their surroundings.
  
• Specially designed puzzles, blocks, rods, beads and other materials encourage them to explore maths, science, geography, and language.
  
• Carefully prepared displays examining project themes, and seasonal displays keep the classroom fresh and interesting for the children.
  
• For more information about the special learning materials OMS uses please see Part Two of this document.