The aim of Puddleducks Pre-school is to enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age (from 2 to 5 years old).

• work in partnership with parents to help children to learn and develop;
• add to the life and well being of the community; and
• offer children and their parents a service that promotes equality and values diversity.
• providing a stimulating and enjoyable environment for learning.
• developing the abilities, skills, and interest of all children.
• recognising and celebrating achievement
• encouraging an active partnership with parents/career and the community
• offering opportunities for all children, whatever their race, culture, religion, means, or ability
• offering staff courses
• promoting public interest in local areas
• instigating and adhering to the aims of the Pre-school Learning Alliance

At Puddleducks we strongly believe in our play-based approach that involves both child-initiated and practitioner-supported learning. The practitioner encourages children’s learning and inquiry through interactions that aim to stretch their thinking to higher levels. 

Play helps a child do the following:

• Develop physical skills such as gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills are the abilities required in order to control the large muscles of the body for walking, running, sitting, crawling , and other activities. Fine motor skills are small movements such as, picking up small objects and holding a spoon, that use the small muscles of the fingers, toes, wrists, lips, and tongue. 

• Develop cognitive concepts. Children learn to solve problems through play. Children also learn colors, numbers, size and shapes. They have the ability to enhance their memory skills as well as their attention span. Children move on to higher levels of thought as they play in a more stimulating environment.

• Develop language skills. Language develops as a child plays and interacts with others. This begins with playing cooing games with younger children and advances to practical levels such as telling make-believe stories and jokes.

• Develop social skills. Learning to cooperate, negotiate, take turns and play by the rules are all important skills learned in early games. These skills grow as the child plays. As a result, children learn the roles and rules of society.