Boosting outdoor learning for our youngest Service children
Day Care Centre, Bright Horizons, based at Leuchars Station (MOD) Scotland, were awarded £79,000 through Armed Forces Families Fund (AF3) Early Years programme in February 2023. This funding has allowed the centre to broaden children’s learning experiences and opportunities through use of outdoor space.
Increasing capacity
Families have highlighted difficulties in accessing childcare places. Lack of provision has resulted in challenges such as long commutes to the nearest early years setting, causing work-related issues. Higher hourly rates at external childcare facilities have also led to increased monthly household expenses.
The funding received from the Early Years programme has enabled the centre to increase their capacity by 50 places, promptly catering to the needs of the existing waiting list of 20 children.
Providing meaningful experiences to young children
Nursery manager Carolann Owen adds: “The practitioners offer meaningful experiences to help children play and learn. This lets the children explore, understand things their own way, and become more independent, linking their home life to learning. Families appreciate the calm, inviting play area. All children aged 2-to-5-years are making steady progress in their learning by moving between indoor and outdoor spaces.
“By designing a safe and open learning area that links indoors with the outdoors, children and their families experience better interactions. This has boosted the children’s confidence, helping them engage more confidently with others, discuss ideas and independently find satisfying answers through a mix of indoor and outdoor learning experiences.”
Creating a versatile learning environment
The new outdoor area has promoted an expansive, interconnected learning space. The children can move freely between indoor and outdoor environments, allowing for a versatile learning environment.
This approach not only encourages free movement, but also contributes significantly to the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of the children. By engaging in activities, problem-solving challenges and building resilience, they benefit from a holistic development experience.
Future proofing
The increase in capacity has another advantage. It allows the centre to prepare for the expected rise in personnel and families, which is anticipated as the area welcomes two major units and several parented units between 2025 and 2028. This transformation will position the station as the main Army garrison in Scotland.
Find out more
The Early Years programme seeks to help Service families and children to access good quality, early childhood education and childcare provision. This includes through improved outdoor facilities, increased capacity, and training aimed at providing a better understanding of the unique needs of Service families through holistic, Service family centric provision and resources.
The projects we have funded so far include a mix of outdoor learning, support for SEND children, and training for staff. You can find out more about the projects funded under this programme, here.
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