Free Rangers Goes to the Awards!

Welcome to the first blog post for the children aged 2 years and under. Each of the rooms will take it in turns to write a little something informing you of what's been occurring with the littlest Free Rangers. The Burrow ( 2-3 year old's) will start and then the Warren (1-2 years) old's will follow, finishing up with the Nest.

Recently Holly from the Burrow went to an awards ceremony in Bath with Gemma and Tim. Gemma received an award for "Your commitment to working an integrated way to support children and families" (she had worked with many outside agencies to ensure the well being of children in her previous setting). Holly collected an award for "Empowering staff to include a large number of children with a wide range of needs", and Tim was the nursery representative when we were congratulated for obtaining our 'Outstanding' from Ofsted. It was a lovely to have all the hard work we put in to Free Rangers recognised by the Local Authority!

There are some changes afoot in the Burrow, Meg has left us, Booo! She is going to Hong Kong to work in a nursery. It's an amazing opportunity and although we'll miss her (her love of pick 'n' mix and comedy value clumsiness), we wish her all the best! As of Monday 5th August the room staff in the Burrow will consist of Holly, Lauren and we'll welcome Nicola in Meg's place.

We all wish you a pleasant August and look forward to meeting some of our new little Rangers in September.

Have fun!! :-)

Play is not a swear word!

Lately I have read and heard many Early Years Professionals justifying their decision to use play as a powerful tool with which to facilitate children’s learning. With newspaper articles suggesting that the government is going to introduce formal assessments and expect Early Years settings to teach official sessions of numeracy and literacy, it’s understandable that as professionals within education, we feel we need to explain why we don’t sign up to these potential changes and why we wholeheartedly believe children would not benefit.

As professionals, parents and carers we should do all we can to highlight the benefits of play to children’s learning and development. So, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow Early Years settings and join in by sharing our views on play.

One of the ways we’d like to do this is by drawing your attention to the important matter of play. Firstly, we’d like to share with you the Free Rangers’ Play Policy, this explains our stance on Play and we hope you share our views. If we’ve left anything out then please let us know. It’s not in essay form, the topic is so vast we thought we’d condense it down to the nuts and bolts of play. But if you’re interested to find out more then please email the office and we can point you in the direction of some great theorists and studies.

With your help, we want your children to be the best they can be. We strongly believe not only the educational theories that support play as being the bedrock of early years learning, but also the emerging, sound scientific studies that further confirm; play leads to greater brain development.

Secondly, as from September 2013, we start in earnest our Stay & Play sessions, for children aged 0 – 5yrs at All Hallows School’s onsite woodland. Join us for Forest School sessions that will be tailored to encourage you and your child / children to learn through play in a beautiful and mature woodland. Please find details here.

The continued provision of our Free Rangers’ Forest School Holiday Clubs also ensures those children beyond nursery age can also access Forest School provision in the woods.

Thirdly, we thought the best thing to do was to invite Michael Gove to visit us for a “Play date.” We are confident that the families that choose to send their children to Free Rangers aren’t wrong, we are certain our views which reflect early years best practice (in fact only tonight we’ve just won three awards from our Education Authority) aren’t wrong, and furthermore we know we share the same ideals as many other fantastic Early Years Settings both locally and globally, so we can’t all be wrong can we? Once he sees Free Rangers’ children busy playing and learning we’re confident he’ll listen to all of us.

So what do we have to lose? Here goes:

Dear Mr. Gove,

Please come and play at Free Rangers for the day.

Toby, Laurie, Archie and William said they’d play dinosaurs with you; Josie said you could share one of the balance bikes; Lauren will sit with you during snack and lunch, Cain, Theo and Jess will show you the cement they made out of sand, water and grass and Daisy said she’d toast a marshmallow for you.

So you see Mr. Gove, all angles are covered. Please bring your wellies, if you don’t have any, we can lend you some.

Hope to see you soon for fun and frolicks at Free Rangers.

Yours sincerely,

Everyone here including Gary the Goose.

"Hello Mrs Poo Poo Head!"

The children normally call me Charlotte, or Laurie's mum, or even the girl that's around a lot, but last week, for about 5 minutes I was called Mrs Poo Poo Head. Let me be clear, there was no malice in this title, it was said because it was funny; and to be fair it received quite a few laughs and a few escapee chuckles. I'll tell you how I reacted at the end of this post, but after the incident I decided to read up a little about poo and wee and why 3 and 4 year olds find it so hilariously funny. My research began. I spoke to my husband and we agreed "popping off / bottom burps / farting" are funny even though we're "old." But upon reflection we felt that poo and wee themselves didn't really hold as much humour as bottom coughing. I then asked my son (he's four) why poo and wee were funny and he just giggled. I realised my research needed to delve deeper.

To briefly summarise my findings, it turns out that child psychologists believe that a child's sense of humour progresses through clear developmental steps much like physical or emotional development. For example a toddler, by the age of around 2 years old, has worked out that a beaker's role in life is to hold drink. Put it on your head though and it's hilarious. Even at this age they have developed contextual humour, take the beaker out of its usual context and you've got a great gag.

Going back to the seemingly unending fascination with bodily functions then, it appears that from the age of 3 to 4 most children have been through or are going through the concept of self care and part of that involves toilet training. One thought is that having gone through this experience and the anxiety and memory of many uncomfortable situations, culminates in a sense of relief where children are comfortable in the knowledge that they are now masters of their own poo and wee and they can literally send it up and make a laugh out of the whole hideous period when it dictated their life.

Another theory is that it's an increasing awareness of the "inappropriate" coupled with the out of context that makes poo and wee such an alluring tool to express humour in our little one's minds. The perhaps exhausting thought is that this stage can carry on until the children are aged around 5 or 6, or in my husband's case nearing 40. Eventually though toilet humour turns in to jokes that don't follow the usual comedy rules, making the unpredictable humorous. A classic example being: "What did the banana say to the apple?" "Nothing, bananas don't speak."

Anyway, to the many parents out there that must endure many more months of poo and wee giggles, you are not on your own. Deal with it as you see fit but with bucket loads of tolerance, try to find solace in the professionals' explanation that this is just another interesting step in your child's developing sense of humour. If you have read to the end and wanted to hear about the way I reacted, here's what happened:

Child: Hello Mrs Poo Poo Head.

Slight awkward pause

Me: Oh dear! If my head is made of poo, I'd better flush it down the toilet.

Child: Don't be silly...laughter....it was only a joke!

Since poo and wee have become such a hit in the Den, the children have created some rules around their use. You can only call each other poo and wee if the other person is in on the joke and they find it funny and you are both enjoying the humour. As soon as it begins to annoy, upset or hurt the feelings of anyone else then it turns from being a joke into not being a good friend. Simple but effective. We're hoping this will enable us to embrace yet pass swiftly through the poo and wee phase.

Mr Poopy's Song

Charlotte.

Story Telling - A Skill for Every Occasion

There’s a story teller in all of us... One of our favourite parts of the day as a family is snuggling down to a good cuddle and a book at the end of a long day. When our youngest started being able to shuffle and crawl, sharing a book with our eldest became tricky. Despite providing our youngest with his own book, ours was obviously more interesting because the rest of us were looking at it and he wanted in too. But in order for all of us to enjoy this time without our eldest getting frustrated that the little man was obstructing the his story time, we changed tack. We took away the books and started to use our imaginations, all of us.

To begin with we stayed safe and told stories about Billy the Digger and his daily routine; a familiar machine goes about his daily chores. Then we introduced more characters, many shared the same names of friends from nursery; this time though they were all ants who needed to climb a tree; I forget why. Now, after only a few weeks we have our favourite protagonists who have triangular heads sporting carefully balanced bowler hats, with tummies as big as tractor wheels and the longest legs you’ve ever seen. Sometimes these characters are entering into spaghetti eating competitions at the local circus or running from tsunamis. Sometimes we can’t even remember where our stories began but we all really relish the opportunity to create something shared that is unique yet meaningful to each of us thanks to the shared process involved with storytelling.

My new found love of the art of storytelling has introduced me to TED talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_stanton_the_clues_to_a_great_story.html and this really makes me want to develop my story telling capabilities.

As a Forest School Leader the ability to tell stories is a great skill to have up your sleeve. A lit fire, a relaxed group and a good yarn are so enjoyable, especially when the children start acting out the story or interjecting to direct the plot as it unfolds. This week, out in Free Rangers’ garden a small group of children came over to enquire what I was up to with P, one of our preschoolers. We were packing wet sand onto the side of the sandpit and trying to write her name without the sand cracking. Everyone had a go at packing the sand and soon we had a lovely blank canvas of smooth wet sand on which to make marks. I asked the children if I could make some doodles. They didn’t object and so I drew, using a stick, a series of random shapes and objects vertically on top of one another. I then asked if they could guess what they were. They all had a go and reasoned convincingly as to why one squiggle was clearly a feather and the other a coin, until they had agreed on every mark I had made. I then wondered out loud if together we could link all the objects into a story, they weren’t so sure, but that’s where “The man with a briefcase of music” was born.

Upon reflection so many learning opportunities presented themselves during this twenty minute interaction. Obviously communication and language are explored; made up words, rhythm and rhyme pop up; so too do different narrative styles and even story genres. Children must listen to the raconteur, sharing eye contact and recounting the events to those new children joining the group. When it comes to telling stories themselves, the ability to empathise with characters’ feelings demonstrates sound emotional development and including movement and music in stories promotes increased confidence in self-expression.

So how about it then? If you usually share a book with your child, try sharing a story created together. We would love to hear what happens or indeed if you already have some favourite home-made stories. What does your child / children love to hear about in these creative moments?

Finally, I’d like to make it clear that I’m not knocking the written word, I’m merely wondering if a love of literacy in later life stems from a love of the worlds it can create through the art of storytelling. If anyone would like to share a story that has been passed down verbally to them over the years, we would warmly welcome them to share it with the children.

Stay and Play @ Brokerswood

If you go down to the woods today........ Free Rangers is launching a "Stay & Play" Forest School programme at their new site, Brokerswood, near Frome. Our aim is to provide families with a feel of what Forest School is all about. We are running a free session on Wed 20th February from 9.30 - 12.30 for children aged 0 - 3 yrs. Refreshments will be provided.

Places are limited so please do email charlottefreerangers@gmail.com or telephone 01761 411328 to confirm your space.

So pull on your wellies and share some memorable outdoor experiences with your children!

The Lake at Brokerswood

The lake at Brokerswood – ideal for learning to canoe (and also ideal for ducks!)

The fire is on, who's up for a brew at Brokerswood?

The outdoor learning area at Brokers, the fire is on, who's up for a brew? As the winter sun warmed us, we strolled around Brokerswood with All Hallows Preparatory School, discussing the bespoke outdoor learning opportunities we could offer their students. From sessions focused around the International Primary Curriculum to boarders' BBQs, we discussed it all. Exciting times ahead!

We have accepted the invitation to become an Advocacy School.

Yesterday we had a visit from Richard Howard, Chair of the National Education Trust. We are very proud to announce we have accepted the invitation to become an Advocacy School. Here's a little bit about what this means.

For some time now, NET has been considering ways of promoting the very best practices in our schools. The NET Trustees developed the idea of having “Advocacy Schools” who will promote the values that NET espouses and also add their own distinctive approach to what is best in learning and teaching. Everyone we’ve spoken to thinks it’s a great idea and we are seeking to extend the number from our present 24 to 50 over time.

The rationale for this invitation is: NET is inviting a number of Advocacy Schools, whose features include:

• All around the school there are places of interest, challenge, wonder and reflection

• The leadership of the school is committed to an aspirational culture: one of belief that children and young people can achieve more that they might have thought

• The 'student voice' is listened to and acted upon

• The staff is committed to excellent teaching and an orderly, enthusiastic community

• Governors, parents and local people hold the school in high regard, and are involved in productive discourse about the school's vision and performance

• Certain aspects stand out from the norm, both to those who work in the school, and to visitors who observe: 'Someone's doing something special here'.

More information can be found at The National Education Trust

Welton Bio Blitz!

Free Rangers Forest School and Cam Valley Wildlife Grouppresent the first Welton Bio Blitz!

Come along for a Saturday of discovering the local wildlife with the experts!

Join local naturalists to learn about and identify the many species of flora and fauna we’ll encounter. We will be exploring the grounds around Freerangers Forest School, a bit of the Norton- Radstock Greenway and a stretch of Wellow Brook. Our base for the day will be Welton Manor Farm (Freerangers Forest School) where you can park your bike or car. Bring your own food and drink and suitable clothing and footwear.

Come along for a fun day for all the family!

For more information, contact Vince on 01761 417040  or download the pdf

Welton Manor Farm, Millards Hill, Midsomer Norton BA3 3BW 

Fun Day for Children in Need

Children in Need Charity Day! [nggallery id=1]

Can you remember your days at nursery?

Today I met up with a friend I hadn't seen for eight years. We had always got on well and as I had hoped it was as if we had remained in close contact; when in truth we hadn't. Over a hot chocolate we started reminiscing about the adventures we shared. I could remember the incidents, but, upon reflection I couldn't recall the tiny details like she could. This led to me quizzing my husband. Was I loosing my mind? Or didn't I put enough importance on these events and my lazy brain didn't even bother to log them. In the car journey back home we discussed this and the conversation developed into me asking him about his earliest memories.

I then had a think back to my own memories and officially tried to recall the earliest, most vivid ones.

As a teacher my brain automatically hopped back to my school days and then further back to nursery days. I realised that of the memories I could dredge up, I could paint a clear picture in my mind but not as many as I had hoped. I then started to question myself, was the nursery I attended, boring? Was it a case of me having a lazy brain or was there another factor playing a part in me not being able to remember the most early days of my education.

I then began to get slightly worried....why are all of us at Free Rangers Nursery ploughing so much time and effort into delivering fun, exciting and engaging learning experiences when the children (like me) might not remember a darn thing?

And then I realised, or at least I came up with an explanation that satisfies my own questions; "Time flies when you're having fun."

So this is it...during the early years of my education I can't remember much, I can't remember creating some of the "masterpieces" that my mum and dad occasionally drag out, I can't remember the names of my teachers or most of the children I shared a classroom with (I'm still only talking Early Years here), but what I can remember is that I loved learning. Don't get me wrong I can't remember what I learnt; although hopefully it's in the grey matter somewhere; but I remember the important things to me; the joy of clasping my first grasshopper, and trying not to let it go too soon because it tickled my palms unbelievably so, I remember the corn whipping at my bare ankles as my brother, sister and I ran to take Dad his lunch in the fields. I remember being winded as I thudded on the hard ground having been launched from our shetland pony. One of my favourite memories is lying down on my tummy and transporting myself down into the grass and imagining I was one of the creatures that looked up to the top of the blades of grass and had to negotiate each small clod of earth as if it were a small mountain.

Enough of memory lane though, back to the point of this blog. Why is Early Years Education so important? Especially if those that it is supposed to benefit don't actually remember it! And why is our little piece of it here at Free Rangers actually really rather good?

My personal opinion is that at Free Rangers we try not to focus heavily on the outcome (the outcome is really just a bi-product) we try to focus on the journey or the process. We try to provide an environment where the children can direct their learning with the help of careful planning on our part. The children have no idea of the charts, planning and discussion that goes on, and I'm glad they don't. As adults we try not to lead the children but occasionally lean in and facilitate their learning.

Will they remember the time they passed through our doors? Some of the children will be with us for a few years and yet only be able to draw on a few memories. Does that bother me?

No. Because time flies when you're having fun.

As long as children's experience of early years provides them with a strong base, I believe they will progress through life and education and relish the opportunities afforded to them. They will have experience in their back pocket to draw on in good and not so good times. At Free Rangers we want to provide the experiential learning that will bolster them through both.

So it doesn't matter whether they remember us or not; but I do hope they'll recall the essence of Free Rangers and appreciate what it was we were all trying to instil; an overall sense of wellbeing and love of life that will give each child the belief that they can do or be whatever it is they choose.

From an Educational Perspective...

If you'd like a more detailed explanation as to why Free Rangers Nursery succeeds so brilliantly educationally, here are some 'teacher-speak' notices (around and about the site) to show exactly how the practices at our nursery fit in with the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) curriculum.

The Big Dig

The Big Dig family morning was a great success. Holes for the poplar trees were dug, hundreds of bulbs were planted and a huge raised bed was weeded and dug over ready for Spring. Thank you for all your support.The Big Dig family morning was a great success. Holes for the poplar trees were dug, hundreds of bulbs were planted and a huge raised bed was weeded and dug over ready for Spring. Thank you for all your support.