Treetops is home to the Early Years' department and is located within the school grounds, overlooking the trees of Hartham Common. The purpose-built accommodation, which has its own secure play area, provides a warm family atmosphere for pupils between the ages of two and five years. In Treetops the youngest children are introduced to the joy of learning. As parents often comment, you only have to see the children running into Treetops each morning to know that they love coming to school.

Our primary purpose is to support children and parents through the early years of education. Treetops offers a carefully managed induction programme to school life and subsequently a broad and challenging education within a caring and secure family environment. Treetops was awarded the highest classification, ‘Outstanding', in every area following Ofsted inspections in 2005 and again in 2008. “Children in the Kindergarten, Nursery and Reception classes make rapid progress from their starting points and achieve very well”. (Ofsted inspection report)

Treetops staff practise an holistic approach to the education of young children, following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum which endorses children's learning through play.  “Play underpins all development and learning for young children.  Providing well planned experiences based on children’s spontaneous play, both indoors and outdoors, is an important way in which practitioners support young children to learn with enjoyment and challenge”. (EYFS) 

The Treetops environment is rich in opportunities which encourage independence and spontaneous learning. There are well-qualified teachers supported by early years’ specialists throughout the setting, working to a high staff:children ratio and the staff continually gather observational evidence on each child, facilitating individualized planning. This ensures that the children experience exemplary care and exciting learning possibilities and that they are extended whilst also having lots of fun. “Excellent teaching helps the children to learn and develop very well academically through an effective balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities”. (Ofsted inspection report)

Some of the exciting activities the children in Treetops enjoy include:

 Forest School 

Forest School is a unique educational experience.  Its principle purpose is to tailor an educational curriculum to a participant's preferred learning style.  Its philosophy is to encourage and inspire individuals to learn and build on self confidence and self esteem through exploration, investigation and discovering in the outside classroom.  Forest School sessions run regardless of the weather conditions and activities are adapted accordingly.  

Duncombe is fortunate to have The Dell, an area of secure woodland within the school grounds, where Forest School is currently offered to the children in the Nursery and Reception classes in Treetops and pupils in the Main School.  Activities are carefully planned by a trained member of staff and a specialist practitioner from outside school and meet the aims of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum as well as the principles of Forest School.  These sessions are run with a high staff:pupil ratio ensuring the safety of the children.

  Dance

“The physical development of babies and young children must be encouraged through the provision of opportunities for them to be active and interactive and to improve their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement.  They must be supported in using all of their senses to learn about the world around d them and to make connections between new information and what they already know”. (EYFS)

Children are given the opportunity to develop their confidence through dance with a specialist dance teacher.  The children learn to move with control and coordination, using their imagination through music.  These groups are small, currently with approximately six children in a group, allowing the dance teacher and the supporting staff member to work closely with each one.

Music and Kindermusik

 “Children’s creativity must be extended by the provision of support for their curiosity, exploration and play.  They must be provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings, for example, thought a variety of art, music, movement, dance, imaginative and role play activities, mathematics, and design and technology”.  (EYFS)

The children in Early Kindergarten and Kindergarten enjoy weekly Kindermusik sessions led by a trained practitioner from the Kindermusik organisation.  The programme combines music, movement and sensory experiences through songs, stories and instruments. Curricular Music is offered to the Nursery children by one of Duncombe’s specialist Music teachers.  Every child is encouraged to participate, exploring aspects of sound, different instruments and concepts such as beat, tempo and volume while discovering the sheer pleasure of music. 

Children from the age of 15 months old are very welcome to join the Kindermusik classes. Please contact the Registrar on (01992) 414109 for more information.

French

French is introduced at the Nursery stage. The teaching of French in Nursery allows  children to listen and respond to simple finger rhyme, songs and stories, and so begin to recognise and respond to sound patterns and words. Children listen attentively and understand instructions, everyday classroom language and praise words which are positively reinforced by repetition, games and songs in a relaxed atmosphere. The proven benefits of learning foreign languages at an early age are many and include the enhancement of ability in English. This early start helps develop children’s linguistic competency and improves listening skills across the curriculum and is extended in Reception where the lessons continue with teaching from one of Duncombe’s modern language specialists.  

Joining Treetops

Children may join Treetops at the beginning of the term following their second birthday. They progress through the Early Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Nursery classes until they enter the Reception class at the start of the academic year in which they will be five. During their Treetops years the children are gradually introduced to the Main School, which results in a natural transition when they move up to Year 1.

The Treetops day is divided into morning and afternoon sessions, a full week therefore comprising ten sessions. Attendance may be part-time or full time until the Reception stage. At the age of two the minimum attendance is three sessions per week. Children who attend half-day sessions may stay for lunch, which is freshly prepared in Duncombe's own kitchen. Every half term (ie approximately every six weeks) there is the opportunity to increase the number of sessions attended.

The Treetops stage is the first step of a carefully developed programme and children are expected to complete their education through to the end of Year 6 at Duncombe. Progression from Treetops to the Main School is normally seamless. Staff maintain close contact with parents and will discuss any concerns regarding transfer well in advance.