Beech Bear Time

Bouncy Bear, Courtland Road is fortunate enough to be based on the Beech Grove Primary School site. Over the years we have developed, with the school, a regular activity we hold called Beech Bears Time. Bouncy Bear, Brendon Road often join us for these sessions as well.

We shut the front gates and open the gates between our garden and the School reception area. This allows the children to go freely between the two areas and mix and play with each other safely. This is fully staffed with both the nursery team and the Reception Teachers and Teaching Assistants.

We start Beech Bears slowly in the Autumn term to help children build their confidence and is especially lovely as we also get to see children who left us the previous year and they love telling us all about their new school, friends, achievements and learning opportunities. Then we build these sessions with joint topics and activities to help children become more confident.

Beech Bears Time has proven to be very effective helping the children with their transition between nursery and Primary school. The children from Bouncy Bear who are going to Beech Grove get to know their teacher and the classroom they will be in, which helps to alleviate their concerns. Children who are joining another Primary school also benefit hugely as they have had a regular school experience which helps them to be reassured. This coupled with all our other transition strategies – please see our Transitions page have helped hundreds of children settle into school easily.