RGS Springfield Nursery

RGS Springfield Nursery in Worcester is one of three nurseries within the RGS Worcester family. Located in Britannia Square and in the centre of Worcester, our ‘Secret in the Square’ is an oasis of tranquillity offering the very best Nursery and pre-school education for children aged 2 to 4.

RGS Springfield Nursery provides children with a magical first experience of school filled with fun and laughter. Our exceptional whole school facilities, extensive grounds, Forest School and dedicated and experienced early years education experts provide the perfect environment that stimulates and nurtures learning and development.

The RGS Springfield Nursery environment is structured to promote independence, decision-making and problem-solving. Our highly qualified team of experienced and committed staff share a passion for teaching and working with young children, with play-based child-centred learning at the heart of our practice. Our children are happy, proud and feel secure knowing that we celebrate their successes and value their achievements.

Children can enjoy a wide range of activities based around subject topics and their interests as well as regular trips out to places such as museums, art galleries, wildlife centres and theatres. All opportunities for learning and development are aimed at supporting and improving confidence, independence, problem-solving skills and resilience. The skills that RGS Springfield Nursery imparts will support children as they flourish and grow throughout their lives.

RGS Springfield Nursery staff constantly review and evaluate working practices and are passionate about providing the highest levels of Early Years education and care. Each child is allocated a Key Person that works closely with parents and the child, helping them settle into the Nursery and overseeing their learning and development. Parents can also view and add to their child’s online learning journey and are kept up-to-date through daily contact, newsletters and child and parent activity days.

Come and see the ‘Secret in the Square’ for yourself.

Mrs Laura Brown, Headmistress

Starting Nursery

At RGS Springfield Nursery, we make sure that both children and parents are fully supported throughout the first days of starting Nursery. Before starting Nursery, you and your child will be able to meet two members of staff through the arrangement of a home visit. The home visit provides the perfect time for you to meet staff, ask any questions that you might have and fill out any forms or paperwork for our records. Staff bring along toys and books for your child to play with and will use the home visit as an opportunity to find out more information about your child to ensure that their individual needs will be met.

We also offer free taster sessions before children start at Nursery where children can come and play and gain familiarity with their new Nursery, staff and other children. As the settling in process is different for every child, our staff work with parents to arrange as many settling in sessions required to help each child feel comfortable and relaxed.

The RGS Springfield Nursery provides a safe, fun and welcoming environment for children to learn and grow. Our indoor facilities include light and spacious classrooms fully equipped with interactive whiteboards and iPads. All equipment is child-height and labelled to encourage independence with choosing, playing with and tidying away games and activities. Our secure outside play area has plenty of choice for fun and learning with playhouses, ride-on toys, sports equipment, a mud kitchen and more! Our specialist teachers and Early Years experts support children in their learning and development so that they grow to become confident and independent learners ready for the transition to Dragonflies.

Nursery School Routine

The Nursery school routine is a source of learning that has many benefits for health, learning and overall development. Providing children with feelings of safety, structure and control, our structured Nursery routine helps children develop familiarity and trust in order to feel safe and calm in the Nursery setting.

Term-time Hours

Full-day children arrive between 8.00am to 8.40am and leave at 3.30pm.

Morning session children arrive between 8.00am to 8.40am and leave at 1.00pm.

Nursery children are welcome to attend Before School (8.00am to 8.30am) and After School Clubs (3.30pm to 6pm) as well as Holiday Clubs available for those on term-time sessions.

7.45am to 8.30am

School opens and Before School Care begins. Children arrive at Nursery before 8.25am registration and are greeted by a member of staff and encouraged to hang their coats up and put their book bag away into their labelled tray.

8.30am to 10.15am

Children enjoy a wide range of engaging activities including Numeracy, Literacy, Music, PE and Movement up until break time at 10.30am.

10.15am to 10.30am

Children can enjoy a healthy snack at any time they wish throughout the morning with our rolling ‘Snack Cafe’ system. The ‘Snack Cafe’ offers social opportunities and encourages children to be more independent by collecting their cup, bowls or plate, choosing their own snack and sitting to pour their own drink. Children can also practise and develop appropriate table manners.

10.30am to 11.00am

Children enjoy break time outside socialising and playing in our safe and supervised outdoor playground and garden areas.

11.00am to 12.00pm

Children take part in a wide range of fun and engaging activities including group activities where skills such as speaking and listening, problem-solving, teamwork and creativity are developed. As we get closer to lunchtime, children are encouraged to tidy away toys and activities ready for story and singing time.

12.00pm to 1.00pm

Children are provided with a healthy and nutritious two-course meal every day. Our food is cooked onsite by our wonderful catering team and menus can be tailored to suit all dietary needs and requirements. We have a large dining room area where children sit together to enjoy eating and socialising with friends. Staff serve and supervise lunch and encourage children to use a knife and fork as well as their table manners. After lunch, children enjoy storytime together.

1.00pm to 2.00pm

After storytime, children play outside with their friends in the fresh air of our enclosed Nursery play area and Paddock. Staff supervise children that still need a nap in our cosy and peaceful sleep area with individual sleeping bag beds and mattresses.

2.00pm to 3.30pm

Children enjoy a variety of arts, crafts and free play activities that are both child-led and teacher-initiated as well as group time singing and stories. At the end of the session, children are collected from the Nursery where a member of staff will ‘hand over’ each child to the adult collecting them. After School Care starts and continues until 6.00pm.

Early Years Foundation Stage

All of our Nursery activities are based on the Early Years Foundation Stage which emphasises the importance of child learning through play and provides the standards, commitments and principles for the learning and care for children from birth to 5.

The seven main EYFS areas of learning are used to help form weekly planning and to ensure that the activities provided to children are fun, engaging and specific to all abilities and needs. Staff provide a wide range of activities for children including child-initiated and teacher-led activities that support learning and development.

As part of the RGS Springfield Nursery curriculum, we offer Music, French and PE lessons to our children as standard. Children can also enjoy extra paid activities, such as Baby Ballet, that are taught by subject specialist teachers.

Nursery Key Person and Staff

Each child starting RGS Springfield Nursery will be allocated a Nursery Key Person. The Key Person will be the member of staff that the child has the closest bond with, who supports the child as they settle into Nursery and who works closely with the parent to form a partnership with you in the care and education of your child.

The Key Person will develop a trusting relationship with the child where the child feels comfortable and supported with their adjustment to Nursery life and learning and development. The Nursery Key Person also supports the parent too so that they can discuss any concerns or worries that they have.

The Nursery Key Person will also be the person that records the child’s achievements and together you will build the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. The EYFS Profile is completed at the end of the Reception year to summarise each child’s learning and development. This is then used to support the Year One teacher in providing effective provision for each child in the class.

Staff Profiles

Sam Salisbury

Head of Early Years

Rachel Powell

Deputy Head of Early Years

Vikki Hill

Early Years Practitioner and Tadpoles Room Leader

Natalie Hiam

Early Years Practitioner and Frogs Room Leader

Emily Bates

Early Years Practitioner and Ducklings Room Leader

Alicia Filer

Early Years Practitioner

Olivia Hewitt

Early Years Teaching Assistant

Nursery Food and Menus

We are extremely fortunate to have a wonderful, dedicated catering team on-site at RGS Springfield, who prepare fresh, delicious and nutritious food every day for our nursery children,

Our Nursery menus offer a wide range of healthy food and drinks to provide options to suit all dietary requirements and tastes whilst also educating children on the importance of healthy eating. We have vast experience in dealing with all types of allergies and dietary needs.

We understand the importance of nutrition and a balanced diet and the positive effects that this can have on learning and behaviour, and we provide children with the knowledge they need to continue making healthy choices in later life.

We have a rolling menu that rotates on a three week cycle – Please see a typical week below.

Week 1 Lunch	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Soup and homemade bread	Carrot and coriander	Leek and potato	Tomato and basil	Sweetcorn chowder	Mushroom
Main course	Pork sausages	Chicken curry	Beef bolognese	Honey roast gammon	Cod fish fingers
Vegetarian	Quorn sausage	Lentil dahl	Tomato, mozzarella and basic gnocchi	Breaded Quorn fillet	Pea and feta bruschetta
On the side	Mashed potato Garden peas Gravy	Rice Cauliflower Naan bread	Spaghetti Sweetcorn	Roast potatoes Cabbage Carrots	Chips Peas Tartare sauce
Light bite		Jacket and beans
Hot dessert	Apple crumble with custard	Lemon drizzle	Syrup sponge and custard	Cheese and biscuits	Chocolate crispy cake
Cut fruit	Fresh fruit and yoghurt	Fresh fruit and yoghurt	Fresh fruit and yoghurt	Fresh fruit and yoghurt	Fresh fruit and yoghurt

Sparkles Toddler Group

Our Sparkles Toddler Group provides a friendly, safe and nurturing environment where parents, carers and children can come and meet new people and enjoy a wide range of fun and engaging activities.

The Sparkles Toddler Group helps children gradually become more comfortable with new social environments, learning alongside children and social interactions which can help to support their transition to Early Years when they start Nursery and school.

Our parents and carers also enjoy the social benefits of attending our Toddler Groups in Worcester and many have formed lifelong friendships with other parents/carers that attend the Toddler Groups.

Forest School

RGS Springfield Nursery Forest School in Worcester provides children with the perfect woodland and natural environment with hands-on learning opportunities for holistic development.

The Forest School hosts regular lessons and activities that support play, exploration, and personal, social and technical skills. Children are taught about the importance of nature and build empathy with the world around them. Child-centred learning activities encourage children to take supported risks to develop confidence, resilience and self-esteem.

RGS Springfield Nursery’s beautiful grounds surround our fantastic Forest School area. Complete with its own mud kitchen, digging pit, willow bothy and log piles and trees, children can explore and learn through hands-on experiences supported by specialist Forest School teachers that are passionate about the outdoors and nature. There is a sense of freedom that children feel outside exploring Forest School. That moment of excitement and endless possibilities, with stories of make-believe and woodland creatures we aim to capture the imagination of the children to make anything.

Each year we celebrate Forest School day where the whole school takes part in activities such as wood whittling, storytelling, cooking on the campfire and more! It is a wonderful occasion that encourages all children and staff to get outdoors and appreciate time outside learning and connecting with nature.

Moving to Reception Class (Dragonflies)

Moving to Reception class from Nursery is a big step for children and parents! Here at RGS Springfield Nursery, we ensure that each child’s transition to Reception is a positive experience.

RGS Springfield Nursery staff will prepare the children by working closely together with Reception staff work to organise regular events and visits to one another so that the children feel comfortable with the school, staff and daily routines to help make the transition and moving to Reception class easy and smooth.