Stanbridge

Stanbridge Primary School, Stanbridge Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 6AL
Tel. 0117 957 5152

From a Stanbridge Mum
(Summer 2021)

“Firstly I need to say the biggest thank you to each and every one of you for being so unbelievably amazing, a simple thanks doesn’t even begin to cover the amount of gratitude I have for you all. You have honestly been the best people I could wish for my daughter to be around in the run up to the school years. The effort, the fun, the cuddles after falling over, the writing practice, the stories, the games, the happy faces on the door, the time given with her, the understanding for me, it’s something I will simply never forget. It goes above and beyond you all just doing your job, you’ve been a part of our lives since my first daughter started a Brightsparks and it is such a sad step that we are going to be leaving. 

As I’m sure all of you understand, you only want nothing but the best for your kids and I’m so grateful that you have given that to us for the last 3 years. 

You’re all bloody brilliant, how you do your job every day I’ll never know. I have complete admiration for every single one of you!

Thank you for being there for us. Thank you for being the best team ever, I’m sure I’ll still see you around for the odd wave but in the run up to us leaving, I cannot thank you enough for contributing in helping me shape my little girl to who she is today. I have no doubt she will thrive (obviously still stay cheeky) and you guys have a part to play in her being amazing. She will miss you as much as I will. 

Take care to all of you, you’ve been tested this past year but you guys have smashed it.”

Why choose Bright Sparks for your child’s care and education

Welcome to Bright Sparks Day Nursery and Pre-School – a place for children to play, learn and grow. Your child deserves the best care and education, here they will find an inviting environment that encourages curiosity and fun. All children who come to Bright Sparks get the tools and support they need for their healthy development.

At Bright Sparks activities are carefully designed to nurture the emotional, intellectual and physical growth of the child. Through stimulating activities and hands-on learning opportunities, children develop into bright young minds, well prepared for school and later life.

What we do

Bright Sparks Day Nursery and Pre-School offers care and education for pre-school children according to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) regulatory framework. We are registered and inspected by OFSTED (Company Number: 12840439). We prepare and serve a rotating menu of hot meals, snacks and drinks throughout the day and are registered and inspected by Environmental Health to do so. Staff are appropriately qualified as Early Years Educators and receive continuous professional training in areas such as pediatric first aid and food hygiene, as well as specific areas such as caring for babies, Special Educational Needs and Makaton sign language.

We provide a holistic approach to early childhood education, considering the needs of the child as a whole, both as an individual and within their peer group. Children at Bright Sparks have access to a range of learning experiences in well-equipped indoor and secure outdoor environments, enabling them to explore and experiment, thereby gaining confidence and a sense of the world around them. Once they leave our pre-school, they’re fully prepared for the next stage of their young lives.

Opening hours, age ranges and free places

Our settings are open from 8.00am until 6.00pm, Monday to Friday all year round excluding Bank Holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. We also offer a limited number of term-time places, subject to availability. At Stoke Lodge we care for children aged three months until school reception age, at Stanbridge we accept children from two years old. In both settings care and education is provided in bespoke rooms with resources and activities appropriate to the age of children. We operate to the strictest health and safety policies and all resources and activities are regularly risk assessed.

We offer free funded hours for 2, 3 and 4 year olds including the 30 hours extended-entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds. These hours can be spread across the year or, subject to availability, booked on a termly basis. We accept tax-free childcare vouchers and all childcare vouchers.

Children’s Learning and Development at Bright Sparks

At Bright Sparks learning and development is shaped into seven areas that shape our educational programme. All areas of learning and development are inter-connected so that they build a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving.

Communication and language

The development of children’s spoken language underpins all areas of learning and development. At Bright Sparks a rich language environment encourages children to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves. Children learn to listen and speak in a range of situations and develop key skills for learning at school.

Personal, social and emotional development

Children’s personal, social and emotional development is fundamental to their cognitive development. At Bright Sparks children are encouraged to develop a positive sense of themselves and others to form positive relationships and to develop respect for others. We help children develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings, to understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.

Physical development

Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. At Bright Sparks children are encouraged to be active, to develop their coordination, control and movement. Through practice they develop muscular control and awareness of others. Children also have to think and use their judgment to solve problems when taking part in physical activities. It helps to build self-confidence and develop their imagination.

Literacy

It is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. At Bright Sparks children link sounds and letters and begin to read and write. They are given access to a wide range of reading materials to ignite their interest. In this way children become confident learners and discover new ways to express themselves.

Mathematics

Developing a strong grounding in numbers and comparators is essential. Mathematics in the Pre-school is based on practical activities and experiences that are part of our everyday routines, such as sorting toys, matching shapes, painting and construction. At Bright Sparks children develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating, simple addition and subtraction problems. They learn to describe shapes, spaces and measures.

Understanding the world

Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community. Bright Sparks helps children to do this by providing opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment. Children explore sand and water, use construction toys such as Duplo and Stickle Bricks, they enjoy cooking, tasting and smelling food. We talk about families, the environment, taking our children on supervised local walks to collect items of interest, so that they begin to gain an understanding of weather, seasons and nature.

Expressive arts and design

The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. Children love exploring and playing with a range of media and materials. At Bright Sparks they are encouraged to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role play and design & technology. Staff guide, encourage and help, we believe that taking part and doing is more important than what is made.

Our Gardens

Our gardens encourage free play and investigation in the world around us. We encourage the children to explore individually and work in groups to develop knowledge and understanding of the world, communication and physical skills.

Meet the senior team

Bright Sparks Day Nursery and Pre-School

What parents say

For further information or to book a viewing please contact us on 01454 615 577