This August 2018, as part of our ongoing school of the month feature series, we present to you The Nurturing Tree school and what makes it an outstanding school for parents to consider while looking for a good school for their children.
What is the name of your school, and when was it founded?
The name of the school is ‘The Nurturing Tree’ and it was founded in September 2017.
Please give details of your staff/ administration?
We have a fantastic team of highly qualified and trained teachers. We also have a fully qualified and registered school nurse (who has previous nursery school experience). Our Proprietress/Administrator, Mrs Kimberley Ajayi-Bembe is a British Citizen with over 11 years experience in Early Education both in Lagos and the UK.
All our teachers are also registered with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
What is the ratio of kids to teachers?
We strictly follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) British Curriculum Framework. Therefore we only include qualified teachers and teaching assistants in our ratio which are as follows;
For children under 1 years 1 to 3 ratio
For children aged 2 to 3 years 1 to 4 ratio
And fot children aged 3 and over 1 to 8 ratio
What is the age range of your students?
We cater for children from ages 3 months to 5 years
What is the curricular/ teaching methodology that you adopt?
At The Nurturing Tree, we adopt the Development Matters in EYFS, which sets out the learning and development stages for children as they grow from birth to five years.
The EYFS helps the child prepare for school, their future learning and successes. We provide a nurturing environment that is happy, active, exciting, fun and secure. The EYES supports the children’s development, care and learning needs while instilling good manners and behaviour in the children.
We focus on the children not just as a group but as individual. We informally assess each child’s development and plan our schemes according to their needs.
Extra-curricular activities available? School Hours and any after school services offered?
At The Nurturing Tree, our gates open to welcome children from 7:30a.m. Our normal school day finishes at 1:00pm; however we offer extended care until 6p.m.
Within our curriculum, we offer French lessons twice a week and we have an African drum/dance teacher that comes in once a week for the children. We are also introducing additional extracurricular afterschool activities in September such as Dance, Performing arts, French Club, Taekwondo and much more.
[Children Nutrition Part 2 – Here are some nutrients children are commonly missing]
What is the admission process? Deadline/ is it rolling?
We encourage all prospective parents to visit the school. We also offer a taster day for the children (space and ratio dependent). Our admission is ongoing and depends on space availability.
Tuition? Is there a payment plan for the pupils?
We currently charge by the term but parents can make special request for any payment plans.
How do you access student’s progress?
We use a specialised online learning journal for each child, which is a way of recording the special moments of the children. It also keeps the parents involved as their children grow and develop throughout nursery. It is used in conjunction with the development stages and milestones of the development matters document and it formally assesses the progress of each child. Each observation is tagged using the developmental goals which then provides data for summative assessments, thoroughness checks, next steps and more.
Notes and observations are added along with images which creates a complete story of the child’s life at nursery. Parents are then given their unique log-in details for their child and are able to view and comment on these special moments. They are also able to contribute stories of the child’s life outside nursery. The learning journal can be downloaded at any time for the school and the parents to keep.
We also inform parents of the children’s development through parent/teacher meetings (once a term) and monthly newsletters.
What are the Disciplinary methods you adopt?
Children need to see that there is a difference between right and wrong, aggressive discipline on a child is counterproductive.
Discipline must be individualised and consistent for each child, appropriate to the child’s level of understanding and directed towards teaching the child acceptable behaviour and self-control.
All our teachers only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourages self-esteem, self-control and self-direction. This includes reminding a child of behavioural expectations by using clear and positive statements, redirecting behaviour and using brief supervised sepearation or time-out from the group when appropriate for the child’s age and development which is limited to no more than one minute per year of the childs age.
To feel and become capable of good behavour, children need a consistent structure of routines, good role models, respecful instruction and progressive expectations so that they have an ongoing experience of success.
What separates The Nurturing Tree from the rest?
We work with the EYFS framework where we stick to the space requirements as set out. Children of different ages require a certain amount of space in order for them to move and develop as follows:
Children under 2 require 3.5 m2 of space per child
2 years old children require 2.5m2 of space per child
Children aged 3 to 5 require 2.3 m2 of space per child
We strictly adhere to the space requirements and never over-fill a classroom.
As mentioned above, we also don’t include nannies or caregivers in our ratios.
Another requirement in the framework is the progress check at age 2 which we also do. When a child is between 2 and 3 years old, early years practitioners should review their progress and provide parents with a short written summary of the child’s development in the prime areas. This progress report identifies each child’s strength and any areas where the child’s progress is less than expected. If there are any emerging concerns, then we create a targeted plan involving the parents to support the child’s future learning and development.
[School of the month feature – Whiteoak School Lagos ]
Does the school offer a school bus service?
Unfortunately, not at this moment in time.
Any other information you would like to share?
The Nurturing Tree provides a stimulating, nurturing and caring environment where children learn and develop through playing, exploring, being active, creative and being asked questions to develop their thinking. We celebrate each child as an individual and develop them according to their individual needs.
What should parents be looking for to decide if your school would work for them/their children?
It is important to look around for a school that is the right fit for your child but also for you, the parents. The school’s curriculum is very important and a continuation of curriculum from nursery to primary is key. When looking for a school, don’t be afraid to ask questions on ratios, room size, numbers, the philosophy of the school and their discipline procedure. Children are a gift from God and we need to give them the best start as possible as the early years is the key to building the right foundation for the future.
How will your school prepare children for learning and operating in the 21st century?
Children in Early Years are curious and excited learners, their development peaks during these early years so it is critical to get the children ready for the challenges and demands of the future. At The Nurturing Tree, we tap into their natural curiosity with engaging learning experience to help build 21st century skills. Reasoning, creative thinking, communication and collaboration, are foundations that support skills in reading, math, science and social sciences. This is taken into consideration when we design our schemes as it supports 21st century learning opportunities.
How do we contact you for more information? Or to schedule a visit to the school?
You can contact us on 0817 014 9579 or [email protected]. You can also visit our website www.thenurturingtree.org for more information. We are located at Plot 8B Omorinre Johnson, Lekki Phase 1 with good access links from Ikoyi, VI, Oniru, Lekki and Ajah. You can also find us on Google maps.
Visiting hours are from Monday to Friday 9:00am to 12:00pm.
We hope to welcome you very soon.
