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RAFA Kidz Cranwell focuses on providing a high-quality service to families, the majority of which are serving in the RAF. Children and parents are offered a warm welcome into the calm and cosy setting.
The nursery treats all children as individuals, beginning with a robust induction with their parents and carers to find out all about their needs, likes and dislikes and how military life has affected them so far. This is crucial due to the transient nature of military children’s lives, which can bring a high risk of their needs being overlooked.
Many of the nursery’s staff are military spouses, which helps them to become experts in what military families need and the challenges they face. Not many understand the unique needs, for example, children who are very transient can struggle making friends and can have separation anxiety. Regular contact between the families and key person is critical for ensuring the best quality start for each child.
Understanding the needs of the families has helped the staff team to tailor the curriculum, which was recently praised by Ofsted. A lot of STEM is utilised as this resonates with the RAF Cranwell station area of focus, with many of the children’s parents working in engineering and science-based roles. Staff understand that STEM within the nursery has significant benefits for the next generation if introduced at an early age.
Staff are proactive, whether that is parent engagement, supporting colleagues, coming up with new ideas and activities or role modelling. For example, staff were challenged to research, plan and introduce a new idea and ‘sell’ the impact of the idea to the management. The winning idea of deployment packs are now in each of the group’s 14 settings and shared through Lincolnshire Local Authority with other settings supporting many military families.
Through strong leadership, the nursery’s staff confidently ensure practice is rooted in evidence and is research-based. This empowers them to know which theory to apply and when, alongside having clarity on why these methodologies are used. Staff skilfully reflect and adapt to ensure the needs of their children are met. They are supported and encouraged to draw their own conclusions through comfortable professional debates, using research and theorists to support views and next steps.
Staff are adept at observing, assessing and planning to ensure every child has ambitious and realistic next steps to move them into the next stage in their learning journey. They share this with parents to ensure learning is continued seamlessly at home.
The nursery organises lots of parent events – breakfasts, garden activities and picnics – which are especially important because being a military spouse can often be lonely. Parents love feeling part of the nursery’s wider family and empowered to have their say.
FINALIST
Broussa Day Nursery, Part of the Elmscot Group – Hale, Greater Manchester
Little Explorers Forest School – Derby
Poppies Pre-School – Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire
CRITERION
Open to settings offering full daycare (private, voluntary or maintained), with an Outstanding or Good grade (or equivalent). Should display excellence in every aspect of care, learning and development; provide inspirational environments; have an exemplary approach to staff development; and foster warm, supportive relationships with parents and carers.
