Balanced Development
Children need to develop intellectually, but also physically and emotionally.
To live well, you must use every part of you well, so we support the children’s development holistically.
See ‘Why choose us?’ to explore how we support the following:
Physical Development
The Ready List - is a series of practices inspired by the Alexander technique which we have embedded into our curriculum. Find out more here.
Forest School - Every group attends a Forest School session every week in all seasons and all weathers. We travel by 65 bus to Ham Common Woods. Our sessions are lad by qualified Forest School leaders. Find out more here.
Field trips - We strongly believe in the value of taking learning off-site. All our children make regular trips - for the youngest ones this may be exploring their local area whilst older children are frequent visitors to London Museums and attractions.
Movement Circle - In line with Alexander principles , we have thought carefully about how we incorporate movement throughout the day. Every school day starts with a Movement Circle to ready our body and mind for the day. Find out more here.
Quiet Time - Like Movement Circle, Quiet Time is inspired by Alexander Technique and is embedded into our day. Children and staff take time to lie still and quietly reflect before the start of our afternoon session. Find out more here.
Choice of furniture - We are constantly reviewing the best way to provide a suitable space in which the children can learn actively. We are currently exploring the opportunities presented by making our space chair free. When chairs are used, these are stools and Tripp Trapp chairs which are specifically sized for the child.
Food and water policy - Please view our healthy food and water policy here.
Intellectual Development
Broad, Balanced Curriculum - At Educare, we offer all the subjects you would expect from The National Curriculum. This includes opportunities to learn English, mathematics, sciences, the humanities, the creative arts and information technology. The difference lies in our flexible and creative approach and personalised ethos.
Innovative approach - We combine well-established learning and teaching methods in a unique and common-sense way to promote the balanced development of the whole child.
Nurturing - At Educare we support individual progress using a range of strategies to build on what each child can already do. For this reason, we do not conduct formal tests or submit data to the Local Authority regarding assessments such as SATs and Early Learning Goals (ELGs). Instead, we assess children's progress using a variety of techniques including observations, oral responses, quizzes, 1:1 conferencing.
Independence - At Educare we seek to nurture the natural curiosity of our children by giving them ownership of their learning. This enables them to develop as independent learners with an enthusiasm for learning. Our children are able to organise their own learning effectively, make choices, and interact within a stimulating and creative environment.
Emotional Development
Creative Arts - At Educare we believe that Music, Art and Drama deserve a central place in our curriculum and are vital in the all-round, balanced development of every child. They also equip the children with skills that enable them to release and express emotion and so deliver essential life skills.
Personalised teaching and learning- At Educare, our personalised approach allows us to tailor teaching and learning to support the next steps of each child. This includes individualised extra support for our children when needed. We believe that every child deserves the time and space to develop at their own pace.
"One of the most important factors when I chose my daughter's school was how balanced the timetable was. I chose Educare because without compromising academic standards, the school manages to incorporate Forest School and lots of art and music. My daughter is thriving in this environment. She reads fluently, is good at maths and our house is full of her art work - just how it should be when you are 6!"