Laurel Farm Kindergarten is a wonderfully nurturing, Steiner educational setting for children aged 3 – 6 years. We are nestled in the Cam Valley in Somerset, 15 minutes from the centre of Bath and 20 minutes from the centre of Frome. We are based on a 7-acre smallholding with animals, fields, a vegetable patch and a growing woodland for the children to explore. This gives our children a unique and exciting playground to observe the seasons and develop a strong connection with nature. We can take a maximum of 16 children per day, although we have no more than 13 per day. This low number, along with being based in the heart of the countryside, means that the children have a calm, peaceful and spacious environment in which to grow and learn.

The Kindergarten’s playroom is a warm and welcoming environment. The children thrive from having a balance of gentle adult-led activities such as painting, sewing, weaving, baking, singing, preparing food and tool use, mixed with free play with the use of dolls, a play kitchen, dress up clothes, wooden vehicles, a dolls’ house, books and natural resources.

Every day after lunch, the children spend at least an hour and a half in the woodland. They learn to build fires, sculpt with clay, weave and do other forest-school related activities. They have a mud kitchen, tyre swing, rope swing, natural stream and dens to play in. Every week the children also carry out some gardening; growing vegetables from seed in a vegetable patch to then harvest later in the year and use to make soup. Each day has a set adult-led activity. The teachers will also lead 1:1 handcraft activities throughout the week. We have a lift-sharing scheme and actively encourage parents from Bath and Frome to share the drop off and pick up journeys with each other.   

Daily Rhythm

The Kindergarten session runs from 9:00am – 3:00pm and follows the same gentle rhythm each day, which gives young children the security of knowing what to expect next. Morning Session
9am Children arrive outdoor at the Ark.
10am Snack time at the Ark
10:30am Walk to the Kindergarten
 11:00am Play time and activity of the day followed by story time.
12:00pm Lunch Time
1:30pm Walk to the Magic Glade woods
2:45pm Story time
3pm Pick up from the Ark

Menu

Every day the children sit down and eat a home-cooked lunch together. All children participate in preparing lunches, either by chopping vegetables for soup, making the weekly bread or taking turn setting the table. Sometimes the vegetables have been harvested by the children from the Kindergarten’s own vegetable patch which gives them a deep understanding of where their food comes from and how nature supports human life. All meals are vegen at their base, and then vegetarian options such a butter and cheese can be added. All dietary needs are very well-catered for.

Festivals

Laurel Farm Kindergarten is unique in that it observes and honours the changing seasons and the life cycle of the natural world. We welcome and celebrate the gifts that nature brings us therefore we hold festivals and gatherings throughout the year as either a family event or a kindergarten event. These typically occur around the solstices and the equinoxes, but also includes celebrating the bravery, kind-heartiness and altruism of three saints in a symbolic way: St. Michael, St. Martin and St. Nicholas.
September Michaelmas
November Lantern Walk
December Advent Spiral
February Candlemas
April Easter
May May Day
June Summer Festival

You can apply today by e-mailing admin@laurelfarmkindergarten.co.uk