Postby SwallowsandAmazons » Wed May 01, 2013 11:01 am
I am sorry papinian if I let rant about racial stereotypes, I just don't like presumption!
On a more positive note and hoping this could be helpful to mothers who would like some more information on our experiences so far, I thought it would share the following. Of course, it takes a leap of faith (no pun intended) to go to a school that has no track record of performance as yet. So what I'm mainly going to share is based on my daughter's experiences at Apples and Honey nursery. I am sure that the ethos will be similar and from speaking to the headmistress, she has some very creative and innovative takes on education.
Much of the learning will take place outside including numeracy and literacy - with special resources provided. At the nursery, they put great emphasis on science and nature - my daughter has already been introduced to the concepts of centrifuge and suspension of liquids at age 3. Study of mini-beasts and horticulture are high up the education spectrum as is creative storytelling. Art often takes on a functional and innovative form as well as being pleasing on the eye. My daughter has made blow pipes out of prettily decorated funnels, spinning helicopters made out of paper and clay sculptures of animals with googly eyes.
It seems many of the children who have turned 4 already can write simple words/sentences and recognise numbers to 20 (as I'm sure is similar in a lot of nurseries (?). As my daughter will not turn 4 until the end of July, her numeracy and literacy skills are not as advanced as some of the other children, but I am never made to feel I should worry. Care is individualistic with encouragement given to skills that are advanced and plans made for those that aren't.
The teachers are very caring and encouraging. I always feel that my daughter is 100% safe and observed. Her school report was very detailed with lots of attention given to each of the 7 areas of learning.
Jewish studies are interwoven in the day's plan and are based around biblical studies, morality, manners, culture and history. In the 'Christmas' school play the children acted out how to treat their fellow pupils in the nursery. Other faiths and cultures are introduced regularly: eg Chinese New Year and the Winter Festival included the making of Christmas cards with snowmen.
From a personal point of view, I would love my daugther to have the option of eating a hot meal at the new school, but realise this could be a logistical problem and has, as yet, not been offered, with facilities probably not available. But not giving her a meat packed lunch, is not that much of an issue. It does restrict choices a little but there are plenty of other nutritional options out there: cheese, egg, tuna, salmon and cream cheese sandwiches/bagels etc, cold rice and pasta salads, felafal, houmous etc are all options.
All children wear the kippot at the beginning of the school day (girls and boys) in the nursery, it is a very cute sight to see as they are all multi coloured - they have prayers and sings welcome songs, tell stories which is a great way to centre and calm the children when they first arrive.
As my daughter's understanding grows I will introduce the concepts of all faiths so she can maker her own informed choice as to whether she wants to follow a faith or not. I will take her to church services, mosques, Buddhist temples and Hindu festivals, in addition to the fact that our area is so multi faith, that she can find out the answers to any questions she has whenever she wants.
I don't worry that there are no children in the year above her, she is still so young that I feel it is a privilege that she will be given such individualistic care. Hustle, bustle and competition can come at a later stage, after all we live in South West London so there is no shortage of that.
The school plans to make a lot of links with other local schools and opportunities for shared learning so contact from older children will be made then.
There is a lot of space for the children to learn creatively at the top of the synagogue, with children able to move between 2 rooms and the 7 areas of learning - and as I mentioned earlier plenty of space for outdoor learning.
Personally, both the principal at Apples and Honey and the headmistress designate at Mosaic have always been welcoming, attentive and warm - answering any questions or concerns I have. For me that says a lot, especially as some of my local friends have never even been spoken to or acknowledged by the head at their child's nursery/school.
And so this school may not be for everyone (as everyone has their own personal way of parenting and desires for their children's education), but after visiting 10 local schools, these are the reasons I made my choice - which I might add, was made completely objectively and with no influence from other mothers at the nursery or school directors. I hope it was helpful and a little more upbeat than some of the earlier posts.
