“Our mission at Redwood Early Years is to provide a safe and nurturing environment where children can develop skills which will enable them to explore, believe and achieve their full potential through playful and meaningful experiences.”
Formerly “St Paul’s Playgroup”, we have been based at Emmbrook Infant School for over 40 years. We enjoy a close relationship with the local community. Some parents have chosen us as they themselves attended as children!
Thanks to the passion and commitment of the team, our reputation far precedes us. Mary Parker had been at the setting for over 30 years when she passed the reins to Sarah Gresty in April 2020. Mary’s valuable mentorship enabled Sarah to lead the setting though the trials of COVID 19 – The setting prided itself in remaining open throughout each of the UK Lockdown periods, with a team dedicated to providing care and education for children all over the Thames Valley area.
We rebranded as Redwood Early Years in September 2022. The team decided upon a name which suited the setting. Redwood was chosen to represent strength, teamwork, nature, growth and communication. Then came our motto; Explore, Believe, Achieve. Values which every member of Team Redwood hold close.
Throughout this period, Sarah has studied Early Years Teaching at Reading University. She has embedded the latest educational techniques to maximise the opportunities for children in the setting. Sarah achieved her Masters in 2023.
Ella Carroll joined as Deputy, bringing with her over 15 years experience and a level three qualification in British Sign Language. BSL is used daily by all members of staff and children.
We are passionate about early years education and the bespoke Redwood curriculum. In 2023 we decided to increase the number of children, families and practitioners we could reach. The wish was to branch out, looking for new places to plant a redwood seed.
As fate would have it we found St Michaels church and pastoral centre in Sandhurst and after some interviews and applications we received our ofsted go ahead!
You can read more about our Redwood curriculum here. In essence, it embodies all the things that we believe children should have access to. Covering each of the 7 areas of learning, we deliver the EYFS by helping children to settle in, by cooking and preparing healthy food with the children, encouraging inclusion and communication by exposing the children to BSL, working with local providers to deliver team games, exploring nature by growing our own food and observing lifecycles, giving each child the opportunity to recognise meaningful text, to create meaningful creations and to become independent individuals.
“The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision which stays with you forever.” John Steinbeck