Rachael’s Playhouse

Rachael's Playhouse evolved from a child minding service to a Full Day Care Nursery in 2019, caring for 30 children aged 6 months to 4 years. They have transformed their approach by putting children in the driving seat of their own learning journey, with remarkable results.

At Rachael's Playhouse, children's curiosity drives education. This nursery has transformed early years care by:

• the Garden Revolution - Children became mini-gardeners, designing and creating their own green space using recycled materials. Parents got their hands dirty too, joining gardening sessions, strengthening the home-nursery connection.
• smart assessment that works - Using tools like 'In the moment planning circles' and termly one-page profiles, staff captured children's progress naturally, without interrupting their discoveries.
• Magic in Action: The Waterfall Wonder What started as simple water play sparked an exciting investigation of Niagara Falls! Children created their own waterfall, experimented with fans, and took their curiosity home with special observation tasks.

The result? Engaged, confident children thriving in a space where learning feels like play.

• improved assessment and tracking, celebrated in recent inspections.
• successful implementation of responsive planning based on children's interests.
• erly identification and intervention for developmental needs.
• enhanced team skills through an apprenticeship program and mentorship initiative.
• enriched experiences supporting cross-curricular skills and curriculum purposes.