Stepping inside the centre, you know that you are in a special place.
Everywhere there is something interesting to see and the feeling of welcome is immediate and apparent.
A noticeboard faces the bench-lined corridor where parents stop to talk or change their children's books. It advertises the previous evening's firework display and beneath it a television shows a video of the event. At the end of the corridor, made interesting by displays, is the reception area, with no glass screens, and friendly office staff.
Maximum use is made of every part of this reception area. A large freestanding display board bears a map of the world surrounded by pictures of children and their families, indicating the many different countries where they have their origins, roots and relatives and the many languages that they speak.
Next to this are two displays reminding us that this is a special time of year for some faith groups: one about the significance of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid; the other about Divali, the festival of light celebrated by Hindu and Sikh families.
Books and displays reflect the diversity of families using the centre and the wider community beyond. All the displays are stimulating and use various materials and fabrics typical of many different cultures and societies. Nothing is tokenistic; it is a thread naturally woven into the fabric of the nursery, which is why it works.
Special needs
A little way in to the nursery, where children are purposefully engaged in a range of self-chosen and adult-led activities, one boy, Mo, is struggling to settle. He is spoken to gently but firmly, encouraged and held. His teacher is working with him while the additional support worker is nearby working with another child, ready to step in as appropriate. He has attended the nursery for just three weeks, having transferred from a setting where his additional needs could not be met. He has an autistic spectrum disorder, as do several other children at Clyde. Very gradually, with patient support, he is learning how to settle in to the centre.
The children's individual learning stories are books with a photographic record of their progress. These self-assessment profiles are kept in an accessible area so that children can share and celebrate them freely and take them home at any time.
The children are encouraged to reflect on their own learning experiences as an early tool to work towards self-assessment. This is an inclusive activity for every child, confirming their identity and building self-esteem, giving them a positive view of themselves in their learning environment.
For the very youngest children and for some with additional needs, the steps may be very slow. Some children will need to be helped to recognise that it is themselves they are looking at, and when that recognition comes, it is a joyous moment of learning. The books are shared with parents and carers. Time is made each term for the all-important one-to-one session with a staff member, supported where necessary in home language to enable the child's own views to be recorded accurately.
To meet the parents' needs the nursery is open until 7pm once a term so that parents can talk this through with staff.
Individual needs
Every care is taken to ensure that the individual learning needs of each child are met. There are growing numbers of children with a speech delay or difficulty who need sensitive and consistent attention. Work with speech and language therapists is now carried out at the nursery to ensure effective sharing of professional expertise.
Parents know there is a welcome and an honest dialogue to be found at Clyde. They also know that some of their own needs may be met here through family literacy and numeracy sessions or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes.
Clyde also caters for the children who need additional curriculum support and extension. Expressive, articulate, creative and more able children work on special projects with a local artist. An Excellence in Cities grant gives a small group the chance to extend their learning in ways that might not be appropriate for all their peers.
Commitment to equal care and concern for the needs of all children makes this an inclusive setting that successfully addresses diversity.
