Haverhill nursery Golden Apples introduces digital sensory learning experience
A Haverhill nursery is harnessing the power of digital technology to provide a pioneering sensory learning experience and digitally rich Early Years curriculum.
Golden Apples, which moved last week from its Homefield Road home of six years to Hollands Road, is the flagship site of the family brand, which has eight other nurseries in East Anglia.
The new premises has innovative iSandBOX, iFloor and Interactive wall technology that gives children access to more than 600 interactive apps via giant overhead projectors either to the walls or the floor their choice.
The children can play football, go fishing and visit the zoo, all in 4K high resolution – the images projected onto surfaces then become a ‘live experience’ via touch or movement.
All the rooms have a theme, such as village scenes where small houses are being constructed – which includes village pubs, a butcher’s shop and markets stalls. With local businesses providing materials to create the scenes, such as Huffers Café a menu. The walls are wrapped up in 3D images rather than standard wallpaper.
Golden Apples director Evelyn Wheeler is thrilled with how the new setting has developed.
She said: “What we have now in Haverhill is a highly engaging educational space which is embracing immersive and interactive technology to offer Early Years learning through playful age-appropriate virtual reality content. This interactive, educational technology will get children motivated to learn whilst they play.
“We will combine technology and standard teaching methods to prepare the children for big school.
“Our innovative approach to education will be delivered via real-life themes in a safe environment, set up in small houses where all children and staff are the community.
“Children will be inspired as they develop and understand these real-life working environments as we make learning not only playful but impactful, sparking curiosity and creating interactivity in understanding the world and the people who help us.”
And the impact of the new premises on the children’s learning and behaviour has quickly become evident, said Mrs Wheeler.
"They are in there serving each other tea and coffee and their vocabulary and conversation is unbelievable.
“Their engagement, I can see, is unbelievable. The whole environment is taking the children’s development skills to a different level.”
The Golden Apples group also features the following nurseries: Bluebell in Eltisley, the Beacon in Rendlesham, the Appletree in Attleborough, the Ark in Watton, the Cornerstone in Martlesham, the Anchor in Huntingdon, Head Start in Ramsey and the recently acquired Woodbridge Day Nursery in Woodbridge.
For more information on the new Hollands Road site in Haverhill, to book a tour, or get more details on any of the Golden Apples Nurseries, call 01440 702151 or email info@goldenapples.co.uk.
