Under the Son Early Childhood Education

Under the Son Nursery School is built upon an ethos of ”what we can do for others”. We are very much child, need and community driven. We have created an enriching environment within which our children play and learn… a safe, fun and nurturing space for our children to
wonder, discover, grow and become enthusiastic lifelong learners.

Children learn and develop physically and emotionally, with sound cognitive and social skills, within an environment that encourages
collaboration, communication and exploration. We offer a happy and stimulating environment, where play and learning is a joyful and
rewarding experience, helping to build the foundations for increased confidence, self-esteem and a sense of worth within our children.
We are environmentally friendly, with a focus on nature, recycling and the importance of outdoor and heuristic play. We are all-inclusive in
meeting the needs of our children, irrespective of religion, social or economic background, gender, ability, disability, or English being an
additional language, promoting Christian core values.

PEDAGOGY
We do not follow one specific educational theory or way of thinking, we have created our own way of doing things, under the pedagogy of
Learning through Play, forging our own exciting path, and creating our own blue print. We do not want to be held back/be bound in any
way by following one school of thought and not being able to think out-of-the-box and do things differently. It is a unique mix of Reggio Emilia theory and practice, with Montessori influence. 

OPEN DOOR POLICY
Choosing childcare for your child is one of the most important decisions you will ever have to make. You are entrusting your child to the
care of someone else. Trust is crucial. Openness and transparency a must have. We operate an Open Door Policy at Under the Son, where parents are encouraged to chat to us about anything that may concern them. We love to know when our families are happy, and equally we need to know when something needs to change. We are always looking to improve our childcare service in ensuring our children have the best start in life, in partnership with you.

SUPERVISION
We have an excellent adult:child ratio. Nappy use and potty training are carefully monitored. Parents provide their own nappies and wipes.
Training is provided so correct hygiene practice is followed, for nappy changing and food preparation.

THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
We are firm believers in children having as much outdoor play and learning experience as possible. We enjoy water and sand play, our
outdoor kitchen, creative activities, conduct messy experiments, gross motor exercises and games, and much more.

COMMUNICATION
It is crucial for the development of your child, that we work closely together and have excellent communication between us at all times. We
have an ‘open door’ policy regarding communication. At the start of the day, please don’t forget to mention anything that might affect your
child’s mood or behaviour, such as a tricky night’s sleep. It is also a good idea for us to chat regularly about the progress of your child. We can arrange a meeting to speak with a teacher during work hours. A progress report is completed for your child annually.

COMMUNITY
At Under the Son we encourage community support and awareness from an early age. We value the African proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, and endeavour to see what local childcare need there is and the possibility of us filling that need.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT
Grandparents tea parties; Career and cultural visits; Community involvement and a Christmas nativity sing-a-long
celebration; Local collections eg: for Zandspruit and the local community as a whole.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
We have a variety of policies and procedures in place. They are fundamental to how Under the Son runs on a day to day
basis. Our policies and procedures are available for viewing by parents at any time.