At The Castle Pre-School Whitstable, children learn through meaningful play in a calm, kind environment where every child is known, valued and supported to develop at their own pace.

Our ethos

  • Our experience tells us that children learn best through meaningful play.
  • We treat every child as unique and support them to develop at their own pace.
  • We promote positive relationships and interaction so our children build confidence and resilience.
  • We provide a calm, kind environment that helps children feel safe to explore.
  • Strong communication with parents gives children a secure, united foundation of support.

Working in partnership with families

Parents, carers and families are our partners. We’ll share progress, celebrate milestones and talk openly if we have any worries or if your child needs extra support in any area.

School readiness

Supporting children to be ready for school is achieved through play and partnership, not pressure. In our Understanding the World area we keep a range of local school uniforms, so children can try them on, sit at a desk and explore activities they think they’ll meet at school, all through child-led play. In their final pre-school year, we build early independence skills such as putting on coats, listening during group time, taking turns in conversation and recognising their name.

Children role-playing 'big school' in local school uniforms

Our curriculum

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the statutory framework for early years in England, which covers:

  • Communication and Language
  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development
  • Physical Development
  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Understanding the World
  • Expressive Arts and Design

Our curriculum is designed around the children’s interests and adapted so that every child can take part and have a positive early years experience. We carefully observe each child’s interests and needs, then plan activities that extend their learning in a natural, enjoyable way.

We give children regular “real world” experiences and an environment where they can show their awareness of the world around them and explore it safely, with the support, guidance and encouragement of our staff.

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