About Us
Welcome!
We have two Nursery Schools in Ashford, Kent. Our original site at Wainwright Place, Newtown is housed in a beautiful old Primary School built originally for the Railway Workers’ children. Due to growing demand for places at our Nursery, we opened a smaller branch in Kingsnorth Road, Ashford in September 2003.
On the following pages you will find brief details of our Nurseries, in which we use the Montessori equipment to aid our teaching. The Nurseries are run with a Christian ethos, whilst incorporating and celebrating other beliefs and religions.
We take children from 2 years old until they reach Primary School admission age, and up to their 8th birthday in the school holidays.
The Nursery School is open to every family in the community. No child will be rejected on grounds of age (subject to the usual limits of all admissions), gender, family status, disability, colour, ethnic origin, culture, religion or belief. Children will be admitted in accordance with Kent County Council guidelines, i.e. three and four year olds eligible for a free Nursery Education place will be given priority over younger children. We will next offer places to siblings of children at Nursery and then on a first come, first served basis. We also offer free places on the Free for 2 scheme (FF2), subject to eligibility and availability of spaces.
Security at Cherrytree is paramount. Both our Nurseries have secure entrances and all visitors and parents have to ring a bell for access.
All staff are DBS checked prior to joining the Nursery and they receive a comprehensive induction programme of training as they start their career with us. Their induction covers basic training in the use of Montessori equipment, basic food hygiene, child protection and health and safety. All staff access training in safeguarding and all are encouraged to become first aiders.
Staff ratios are at least 1:4 for 2 year olds and 1:8 for 3-8 year olds.
Mission Statement
We aim to provide the best care and education for your child by using qualified and experienced practitioners in a bright, spacious and stimulating learning environment. We value parent’s and carer’s contributions to the children’s overall wellbeing and development.
We use Montessori based methods of teaching to foster children’s independence in learning and social skills. Your child will be encouraged to develop to their full potential through the use of varied resources which extend and excite their imagination and understanding. Children are given freedom of choice of activities from a carefully prepared selection of projects, educational games, indoor and outdoor play in well equipped and safe play areas. All staff are supported and encouraged to further develop their own skills.
The Montessori approach
The Montessori approach to Nursery Education was developed by the Italian educator Maria Montessori at the turn of the twentieth century.
It aims to help each child attain his or her maximum potential by using an individual approach based on the belief that each child is unique and deserves respect.
Children are given freedom of choice of activities from a carefully prepared selection of exercises and educational games, each of which will assist in developing one or more aspects of their personality. Each activity is of equal value and children are encouraged, though never forced, to make use of everything available in the classroom. Each child works at his or her own pace because Montessorians know that children learn better and faster if they are not pressurised; they motivate themselves and therefore learn more thoroughly and efficiently when they are allowed to understand each step fully before moving on.
Children are not disciplined by the threat of punishment or the bribe of reward, but are helped with love and patience to attain self-discipline and concentration on their work, whilst retaining enthusiasm for tasks.
Children are encouraged to learn how to interact with other members of the group socially, whether they are peers, teachers or visitors, and will learn how to perform many simple practical activities leading to independence and competence in life skills as diverse as dusting a shelf to settling an argument.