This play provision is an example of:
Kate Greenaway is a Children’s Centre, offering year-round, extended day early education with childcare for children from 6 months to 5 years old. It also offers other services to the community, such as stay and play sessions, nursery open morning, art therapy and baby massage.
The prime focus is on play with natural materials in a natural environment, more like a garden than a playground. There is climbing and construction equipment, woodwork area, sand and water area and two-wheeled bikes. Children do their own outdoor gardening and grow their own fruit and vegetables.
The staff believe that natural materials are more beneficial for children in early years settings, rather than brightly coloured components using plastic and prefabricated materials. The members of staff have seen a dramatic improvement in children’s behaviour at Kate Greenaway since the garden was opened.
The style of the provision is wide-ranging and is accessible throughout to children with mobility restrictions, visual impairment and special educational needs. The environment enables different approaches, so children can play with the same materials in different ways depending on their own preference and abilities.
The more challenging equipment, such as the two-wheeled bikes, gives children the opportunity to push their boundaries and explore their capabilities. If a more structured activity, such as gardening, is taking place, the children are offered a more open activity alongside this, such as digging and mixing soil and water freely.
The children were involved in the original design process, and in changes to the environment, such as the new climbing area. The children help to generate ideas, and will help in making the equipment. There are 2,000 plants in the centre, which were planted by children and parents together one weekend and there has never been an instance of a plant being pulled out.
Before the setting was designed, the members of staff held consultation events and also took families to see other play provision around the country. The parents are regularly surveyed for their views and the governing body also includes parent representatives.
There are approximately 20 members of staff, some have NVQ level 3 in Early Years Education and Childcare, and others have teaching qualifications or are Early Years Professionals. The school governing body runs the provision, but funding is received by the local authority and partly from Section 106 planning money. Kate Greenaway Nursery has been mentioned in the play strategy for the area.
The provision has an annual review, involving the original designer, which is based on views of staff, observations of children and any other information such as Ofsted inspections. An improvement plan and a self-evaluation strategy are in place but they do not follow an externally designed scheme.
The provision is aimed at children aged between 6 months and five years old and is open 8am until 6pm weekdays. There is some provision at the weekends and during holidays. There are currently 51 children attending, half of whom pay a fee of around £25 per day, although this can vary. The other half attend for free.
Julian Grenier (Head Teacher)
Kate Greenaway Nursery School and Children’s Centre
York Way Court, Copenhagen Street
London N1 0UH
Tel: 020 7527 4850
Email: julian.grenier@islington.gov.uk
Page updated January 2009
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