'Outstanding' Hemel nursery brings essence of France to the classroom as children explore languages

A Hemel Hempstead nursery rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted brought an essence of France to the classroom as children explored languages.

Festivities were well underway at Lime Grove Day Nursery in Hemel Hempstead as children enjoyed a French-inspired day to support classmates with English as an additional language.

Beginning their morning with a spread of fresh croissants, pre-schoolers from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Park Road were delighted to explore an array of French songs, including ‘Frère Jacques’, before discussing the country and its famous landmarks.

As part of the learning experience, children showcased their creativity with art activities centred around painter Pablo Picasso, who spent most of his adult life in France, focusing on his unique cubist style, before enjoying homemade French soup and bread for their dinner.

Lime Grove Day Nursery Team Leader, Robyn Shuck explained the thinking behind the special day.

She said: “We had a fantastic time introducing French to our children and this was a hugely exciting experience for bilingual members of the group. This was not only a brilliant opportunity to support them in their learning journey, but to further knowledge on the world around them.”

Ofsted rated Lime Grove ‘Outstanding’ in all key areas after its last inspection.

The report, which you can read in full online, states: “Staff know children exceptionally well. They make very effective use of information to plan precisely for what each child needs to learn next. Children are extremely curious and motivated as they explore activities. They make good and often outstanding progress.”