Our Approach to Holiday Care
Our approach to holiday care draws on our research and practice, from international pioneers, past and present.
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We work responsively, supporting children's individual interests and projects within lovingly created spaces, supported by a carefully crafted and consistent daily rhythm.
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Our plans prioritise the EYFS three Prime Areas, Characteristics of Effective Learning and seven areas of learning, all of which we believe extend throughout lifelong learning.
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Nourishing Holiday Care
At our home-based, off-grid holiday provision in Somerset, we focus on holistic, multi-sensory development in nature, supporting children's flow, through open-ended, suggestion-rich resources and spaces, within a stabilising and consistent daily routine.
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Our Commitment to Quality
Our team has extensive experience in childcare, in particular, of creative, ecological, play-based practice.
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Our holiday care operates with purposefully low numbers of children and high numbers of adults.
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Children have ample space, time, choice and resources to explore their unique interests. ​​​
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We love what we do and are continually researching, training and learning, both with and without the children, to develop our provision.
A culture of kindness
We prioritise kindness and care in all our interactions at Little Brympton.
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It is the children's holiday and we want everyone to feel welcomed, at home and nourished here.
We work in close partnership with parents and carers and are fortunate to have a supportive local community.
Children are welcomed, not just in our home, but more widely in the village.
Promoting Physical Activity
Physical development is at the heart of our offer and central to our planning is a commitment to the NHS recommended 180 minutes of daily physical activity for young children.
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Physical development is an essential building block for learning and our holiday care offers ample fine and gross motor opportunities, through small and large scale play and skills building.
As a dance and movement specialist, Hannah has designed the environments with children's schemas and eight senses in mind and in the summer, offers dance and movement sessions in the studio.
Connecting with Nature
Being in nature offers infinite physical, creative, imaginative and explorative opportunities and we aim for children to connect with nature at every opportunity throughout their time with us.
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We hope that a sensory-rich experience will inspire children's intrinsic connection with nature.
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We are a screen-free setting, with the exception of an ipad, which is used mindfully and with supervision, as a tool. For example, to identify plants, birds and take photographs, where needed.
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"Hannah’s pedagogical approach is “slow”, highly responsive and respectful, with Hannah acting as a learner alongside the children, using high‑quality vocabulary and explaining new words in context. The seven areas of learning and the characteristics of effective teaching and learning were being covered and resources in the house, play shed and garden were open‑ended and carefully balanced for quality rather than quantity. Hannah used props and stories to maintain engagement and supported children to be active, independent thinkers, to be creative and to explore. General conversation at snack time supported back‑and‑forth interactions and listening skills, and both Hannah and Patch explained topics clearly and, in an age -appropriate way.
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Hannah was very attuned to the children’s social and emotional needs and could recognise when play was becoming disorganised and children needed to be more active. Hannah offered a break by moving outside and made it clear that children could return to their previous play later, supporting both wellbeing and focus. Hannah gave children time to explain themselves and to listen to others, and when requests could not be met Hannah always explained why and worked towards an alternative."
(Early Years Support Officer Report, Summer 2026)
