The story of Poppies Pre-School - an inspiring Froebelian early years setting which cares for babies and young children up to the age of 5. A setting where uninterrupted play leads to deep learning and gives young children a sense of belonging. Produced in December 2024.
Poppies Pre-School in Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire (Scotland) has adopted a Froebelian approach to its work with babies and young children.
Poppies was shortlisted for the prestigious "Nursery of the Year Award" at the Nursery World Awards 2024.
The high quality of the educators at Poppies' work with young children was also noted in their last inspection report (March 2023):
"The service supports a Froebelian ethos and children were at the heart of all planning. This was focussed on developing skills for life. Children were recognised as capable and responsible and were developing a love of learning through play experiences... The setting was warm, welcoming and inviting for the children and families. It was evident that children mattered, and they had been valued and respected throughout the development of this high-quality learning environment..."
The Care Inspectorate
Sharon Imray, Headteacher at Poppies, was awarded a Froebel Trust action research grant in 2023 for a project designed to further develop inclusive practice at the setting. The project - A Sense of Belonging - posed the question, “Are we doing everything to ensure that every child/family in our community has a sense of belonging?”.
Sharon shared the learning from this project with early years leaders and educators from across the UK during a Froebel Trust webinar 'Let's talk about race in the early years' (held in July 2024).
