Dunkys Day Nursery Gulliver’s is located in the Westbrook area of Warrington, in the grounds of the Gulliver’s World Theme Park.
This is a unique opportunity for your child to attend an amazing and authentic Forest School environment.
Dunky’s occupies a vast amount of woodland in the grounds of Gulliver’s World, serviced by multiple bell tents, canopies and unique structures to encompass the area.
The Forest school is accessible from the main car park, and a short nature trail walk will lead you straight into the Forest School environment where a dedicated team of colleagues will be ready to submerse your child in a wide range of activities using nature as a learning tool.
Our curriculum is based around each individual child and we follow `In the Moment Planning` as we use the children’s interests as a basis for learning. For our older children we operate Forest Schools, where all children are given the opportunity to access, experience and enjoy learning whilst working in the outside environment. We take the “classroom” outside and use the beautiful surroundings, weather and sounds to enhance their learning visually, orally and sensually. This holistic approach encourages children’s imaginations, build’s self-esteem and creates the desire to understand, learn and respect the natural world around them. The children are in a safe environment where they can succeed, create and use maths and literacy skills without them even realising it! Through exploration and discovery, the children are able to enjoy and self-initiate their own learning.
In Forest School children are able to take calculated risks in a controlled environment. They learn cause and effect and what may or could happen. They are given the opportunity and responsibility under supervision, to use tools and help be part of a team, creating a fire to keep them warm and cook food. We have developed a Forest School Information Sheet for parents to gain more information.
Throughout our Forest school time, we will follow the principles of the Forest school 5-pointed star. Children and adults need time to thoroughly explore their thoughts, feelings and relationships. This time and reflective practice develop understanding of the world, the environment, and everything within it through the use of emotions, imagination and senses. By the children participating in a range of experiences in a woodland environment, each participant has an opportunity to develop intrinsic motivation, sound, emotional and social skills as well as aspirational and reflective approaches to life. These, through self-awareness can be developed to reach our personal potential and to be part of a community which can define and develop itself.
The Forest Schools Star: Emotional Intelligence
- Self awareness
- Social Skills
- Self regulation
- Empathy
- Self motivation
All of our staff are very dedicated and experienced practitioners, many of whom hold childcare qualifications at level 3 or above and all are paediatric first aid trained. We pride ourselves on our friendly, but professional approach, and we foster excellent relationships with the parents and children in our care.