Our Day: Rhythm, Environments & Care

Our Daily Rhythm: Balancing Focus and Adventure

At The Mulberry Bush Mersea, our day flows with a flexible rhythm designed to nurture development through both focused indoor learning and exciting outdoor exploration. We blend the structured work cycles of Montessori with the adaptable nature of Forest and Coastal School, providing predictability while allowing space for children's interests and spontaneous discoveries.

Here's a glimpse into our typical day (please note this is flexible and adapts to weather, projects, and the children's needs):

(7:00 AM - 9:00 AM - Early Arrivals): A calm welcome with opportunities for quiet activities and free play, helping children transition smoothly into their day.
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM - Montessori Work Cycle & Exploration: Children engage freely with the prepared indoor environment, choosing purposeful Montessori activities that foster concentration, independence, and skill development across areas like Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, and Maths. Practitioners observe, guide, and present new materials individually or in small groups.
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - Snack & Transition: A sociable, healthy snack time where children practice self-care skills. We prepare for our outdoor adventures.
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM - Outdoor Adventures (Forest/Coastal School Focus): We head outdoors to our dedicated garden space, local woodland areas, or the nearby coast. Activities are guided by the environment and children's interests, focusing on physical exploration, nature connection, teamwork, problem-solving, and managed risk-taking (e.g., climbing, den building, beachcombing, minibeast hunts).
12:15 PM - 12:30 PM - Group Circle Time: Coming together for songs, stories, and reflection, often sharing discoveries from the morning's indoor work or outdoor explorations.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM - Lunchtime: A nutritious, freshly prepared hot lunch enjoyed together, promoting healthy eating and social interaction.
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM - Free Play / Continued Exploration: Children choose activities indoors or outdoors (weather permitting), perhaps revisiting morning interests or engaging in imaginative play.
2:00 PM - 2:15 PM - Quiet Time / Reflection: A calm period for rest, quiet activities like looking at books, or mindful reflection, respecting individual needs for downtime.
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM - Focused Learning / Adult-Guided Activity: Small group activities extending our current theme or project, potentially involving Montessori extensions, creative arts, simple science investigations, or practicing a specific Forest School skill.
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM - Afternoon Snack & Outdoor Play: A healthy afternoon snack followed by further opportunities for fresh air and physical activity outdoors.
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM - End of Day Circle & Goodbye: A final gathering for a story or song, reflecting on the day, and preparing for home time.
(3:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Later Departures): A calm transition period with opportunities for free play, creative activities, and winding down before heading home.

Learning Through Purposeful Play & Exploration

We believe children learn best when deeply engaged. Our blended approach harnesses the power of both:

Montessori 'Work': Children engage in focused, self-chosen activities using specially designed materials that invite repetition and lead to mastery and understanding.
Forest/Coastal 'Play': Children explore, experiment, problem-solve, and collaborate within the rich, stimulating natural environment, developing resilience, creativity, and practical skills.

This combination fosters the Characteristics of Effective Learning: children are motivated (Active Learning), deeply involved in exploring and trying new things (Playing and Exploring), and encouraged to develop their own ideas and strategies (Creating and Thinking Critically).

Our Enabling Environments: Indoors and Out

Learning happens everywhere at Mulberry Bush Mersea. We provide two distinct but complementary, high-quality environments:

The Prepared Indoor (Montessori) Environment: Our indoor space is carefully organised, calm, and beautiful. Featuring child-sized furniture and low shelves accessible to all, it's divided into curriculum areas (Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, Culture) equipped with specific Montessori materials designed to foster independence, concentration, coordination, and cognitive development.
The Natural Outdoor (Forest & Coastal) Environment: Our secure garden offers natural play elements, climbing opportunities, and gardening areas. Crucially, we regularly utilise Mersea Island's unique woodland and coastal settings for our Forest and Coastal School sessions. These natural spaces offer dynamic opportunities for large-scale physical activity, sensory exploration, risk assessment, tool use (safely supervised), den building, wildlife observation, and fostering a deep connection with nature. Our covered outdoor area also allows for messy play and self-directed activities regardless of the weather.

Nourishing Bodies & Minds: Meals & Snacks

We understand the importance of healthy, delicious food for growing children. In line with our Fees Policy, our all-inclusive service provides nutritious, balanced meals and snacks throughout the day.

Healthy Choices: Morning/afternoon snacks typically include fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains. Lunches are balanced hot meals. (Included via the Additional Services Charge).
Dietary Needs: We cater carefully for allergies, intolerances, and cultural/religious requirements, working closely with parents to ensure safe and appropriate alternatives. (Please ensure all dietary needs are detailed on the Registration Form).
Social Mealtimes: Mealtimes are relaxed, social occasions where children develop independence and table manners.
Learning About Food: We integrate food into learning – exploring different tastes, discussing where food comes from, growing simple produce, and learning about healthy eating.

Outdoor Learning & Exploration: Embracing Mersea's Nature

Outdoor experiences are fundamental to our ethos and essential for children's wellbeing and development. Being located on Mersea Island gives us incredible opportunities!

Forest & Coastal School: Regular sessions form a core part of our curriculum. Led by trained practitioners, children explore local woodlands and beaches, developing skills like:

Practical Skills: Using tools (hammers, peelers, saws with close supervision), tying knots, fire lighting (when appropriate and safely managed).
Nature Knowledge: Identifying trees, plants, minibeasts, birds, shells, seaweed, and coastal creatures; understanding tides and weather.
Physical Confidence: Climbing, balancing, navigating different terrains.
Teamwork & Resilience: Building dens, solving problems collaboratively, persevering with challenges.

Island-Inspired Learning: We connect learning to our unique location – discussing fishing boats, learning about local wildlife, watching the weather over the estuary, and understanding water safety.
Benefits: Our outdoor curriculum significantly enhances physical health, emotional wellbeing, cognitive development, social skills, creativity, problem-solving, and environmental awareness.
All-Weather Play: We embrace the outdoors daily! We ask parents to ensure children have appropriate clothing for all seasons (waterproofs, wellies, warm layers, sun hats. We provide puddle suits as part of our service.

Parent Partnership & Communication: Keeping You Connected

We believe a strong, trusting partnership with parents is vital. We are committed to open, regular, and meaningful communication.

Blossom Parent App: Our primary tool for connection! Receive real-time updates, photos, and videos of your child's day (both indoors and out), access their learning journey, receive newsletters and messages, and communicate easily with staff.
Daily Feedback: Key workers provide personalised verbal updates at drop-off and pick-up.
Newsletters: Keeping you informed about themes, events, and nursery news.
Parent Evenings: Formal opportunities to discuss your child's progress in depth.
Community Events: We host celebrations and social events throughout the year.
Open Door Policy: We value your feedback and insights. Please always feel welcome to speak with your child's key worker or the management team with any questions or suggestions. You can find all our core policies (Admissions, Fees, Terms & Conditions) on our website.