A Day in the Life at Little Cumberland Pre-school!

Sessions 

Little Cumberland Pre-School is open term time only from 8.30am until 3.30pm. It is
closed on Cumberland Infant School Inset days for training purposes.
There are a selection of session choices.
The three hour morning session runs from 8.30am until 11.30am.

This session can be extended by an hour so the children can stay for lunch and your
funding entitlement can be used to cover the lunchtime if you wish your child to stay.
8.30am- 12.30pm
The three hour afternoon session is 12.30pm until 3.30pm.
All day is 8.30am – 3.30pm.
There is no maximum or minimal number of sessions your child has to attend.

Induction

We will welcome you and your child to visit the Pre-School which can be arranged
via email to ctopp@cumberland.portsmouth.sch.uk or by calling (02392 293586).
Wherever possible the Headteacher Becky Herbert and the Pre-School Practitioner
Chris Topp will lead your visit.
After completing the registration, funding and All about me forms, you and your child
will be able to attend a stay and play between 10am until 11am any morning which
suits the Pre-School and your family.
A few days or a week later your child will be invited to stay and play on their own for
an hour during 10am until 11am at a suitably convenient time.
Then your child’s journey and Pre-School experience can begin at Little Cumberland.
We will continue to work in close partnership with families in settling all children.
Sometimes this may involve reducing the hours your child stays to begin with so their
initial time at Little Cumberland Pre-School is a positive happy one. We may ask
your child to bring in an extra few comfort toys or have further discussions on your
child’s likes so we can have objects and experiences which will capture their interest
and distract that they have been left.
It may be just the comfort of their key worker when they first arrive or for the first few
hours of the day, including an extra cuddle or a little extra attention that they may
need.

Daily Life at Little Cumberland Pre-School
At Little Cumberland our aim is to create active learners that are happy, confident
and curious. We focus on the children’s interest and spend a lot of time learning and
exploring through play. Play is one, if not the most important tool for young learners,
it’s in play that a child can experiment, explore, take risks and learn new skills all
within their own comfort levels without the fear of failure.
When Children arrive in the mornings the inside is set up with a different activities
often relating to the children’s interest that they can freely explore along with the
resources that are always available. Independence is something we promote from
the word go. The children will be encouraged to find their picture and hang their bag

and coats up when they arrive. Throughout the day, they’ll have access to them so
they can come in and out the garden as they please.
Once all the children have arrived and they’ve had time to explore the room we do
small group time. This is a great time to get together and gives the children a real
sense of belonging. We do all sorts of activities from dancing and yoga to learning
about seasons or what type of food we all like.
Once small group is finished around 9:30-9:45 we open our outside space and the
children are able to choose and access what they would like to play with. Adults are
there to join the children’s play and extend and support to add to the children’s
experience.
During this time a snack bar is open for the children to help themselves to snack.
Adult led activities from the topics of interest, cooking and arts and crafts will be
going on for children to join in if they would like and we take groups out to the main
playground, mud kitchen or field to explore and do activities.
Whilst the Children are playing and exploring we observe and we are there for them,
whether that is to give comfort, advice, reassurance or just join in their fun. We all
tidy up together working as a team before we get ready for lunch at 11:30am. We
have Lunch in the hall joining the school before returning to the Pre-School.
The afternoon session starts at 12:30 and again we mirror the morning welcoming
those that have joined us and looking forward to an afternoon of fun!