Here at James Dixon Preschool we value every child and respect them as individuals. We help them to develop into strong, resilient and independent learners who have a love of learning. We do this through the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and by building positive relationships with children and their parents alike. 

Each child is assigned a Key Person who will support them in settling in, encourage them to take part in activities, observe their learning and plan for their next steps.

We know that children learn most when they are learning through play in an enabling environment, where they are supported and encouraged to explore their own ideas, ask questions and engage in new experiences. Every child will take part in a Forest School session each week in our very own area. The children begin to learn to respect and care for living things, explore the natural world through the changes in the seasons, take risks and engage in child led learning.

In Preschool every parent is invited to join the Awesome Class Dojo app, which enables them to be kept up to date with activities, daily learning and individual wow moments. This free app allows parents to share home learning which ensures we gain a complete picture of every child's learning and development.

In Preschool the children follow phase 1 of Letters and Sounds, a programme which develops their speaking and listening skills, phonological awareness along with oral blending and segmenting. The fun activities pave the way for the children to make a great start with reading and writing. Talk is very important to us here at James Dixon Preschool where we have a broad and language rich curriculum that has speaking and listening skills at its centre. The children's language development is supported by experienced Early Years practitioners who engage the children in fun and practical experiences and provide an environment rich in print, with plenty of opportunities to engage with books.

The children wear a uniform consisting of navy blue trousers, jogging bottoms, leggings or skirt, a pale blue polo shirt and a navy jumper/sweatshirt. The uniform does not need the school logo. We ask all parents to leave a bag of spare clothes in Preschool and if toilet training supply pull-ups, wipes and nappy sacks.

For more information please email jdp-preschool@swale.at