A NEW nursery is to open in Hornchurch this August, creating 18 new jobs and 48 places for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers in the area.Little Robins Montessori Nursery and Preschool will be offering parents and their children something a little different from other childcare settings, as daily yoga and meditation will form part of the Craigdale Road nursery’s teachings.
The nursery is owned by Kavitha Niranjan, mother of two and founder of Tutorial Limited and Tutorial Ltd Performing Arts & Music school, an established Hornchurch company which provides academic and performing arts tuition for children from age three to 18.
Offering places for 6 babies, 12 toddlers and 30 pre-schoolers, Little Robins will have a clear focus on preparing children for life, with many fun activities mirroring the home environment and teaching practical skills. Yoga, baby massage, musical movement, French/Spanish, numeracy, phonics and performing arts sessions will also be added to the youngsters’ nursery days to add variety and enjoyment to their learning.
Little Robins will launch on August 14 and will be open 7:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday, 52 weeks of the year. Full and half day sessions will be available for children aged 12 weeks to five years and all food will be cooked and prepared on site.
Montessori education, the method the nursery will follow as part of its curriculum, centres on the child’s ability to self-motivate and self-discipline. The method focuses on the whole child – their cognitive, social, emotional and physical development – and gives them the freedom to learn at their own pace. The theory is that the child will then become a confident, self-motivated learner. There will be emphasis on developing compassion, tolerance, empathy and co-operation, in line with Montessori teachings.
Little Robins’ baby room, aimed at three months to eighteen months, includes plenty of toys and books, with a cosy area sectioned off for relaxing and listening to music. As the children grow, sand and water play, painting, chalk and messy play is on offer.
The tots room, for 18 months to two and a half year olds, has free flow into the garden to allow the youngsters freedom. Staff help to build routine as well as teaching children to dress and feed themselves, hold crayons and brushes correctly and sit for a short length of time at circle times.
In the preschool room, children are given plenty of opportunity to explore and use their imagination. A creative station, role play area, small world, construction, reading area, practical life and free flow into the garden are all available to those aged two and a half years old to five years old. Support is given to those moving on to primary school by encouraging children to think independently, problem solve and follow routines.
Nursery manager, Sue Young, has 27 years of experience in the childcare sector and will lead a team of professionals to establish Little Robins as an outstanding nursery and preschool. She said: “We are really excited about opening our beautiful nursery in August. At the moment, we are working hard to provide a homely, welcoming environment that will help our children to have fun, feel safe and want to learn through play.
“We are also recruiting for 18 members of staff to help us run Little Robins; we are looking for likeminded individuals to fill a variety of positions, from nursery practitioners to cooks and cleaners. The nursery will be quite different to many settings and I believe will offer a unique opportunity to those who want to make a positive impact on many childrens’ young lives.”
She added: “We are looking forward to introducing yoga and meditation to our children and although we’re not expecting silence from them while practicing, we are certain they will have fun as well learning self co-ordination, balance and poise. We believe this approach, delivered by a kind, caring and professional team, will allow children to fulfil their potential and thrive in their learning and development.”
For further information or to enquire about securing a place or employment at Little Robins, please contact Little Robins on 01708 607760 or email littlerobins1@outlook.com
If only parenting came with a manual 