Nursery Curriculum

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced and progressive,  providing a mix of adult-led and child supported activities which enable children to learn and practise new knowledge and skills to make excellent progress in all 7 areas of the Early Years curriculum. Our nursery also follows the guidance in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) and Birth to Five Matters guidance. The EYFS provides core principals for the learning and development of all children from birth until the age of 5.

The EYFS curriculum is divided in to seven areas of learning.

Prime Areas 

*Personal, Social and Emotional development (PSED)

Helping children to respect themselves and others, develop a positive self-image, to learn about relationships and the importance of friendships. To learn to share, take turns and play fairly. To develop an understanding of what is right, what is wrong, and why. To care for others and respect their feelings, culture and beliefs.

*Communication and Language 

Helping children communicate effectively with each other and adults, by encouraging them to talk, listen AND TO VALUE WHAT THEY SAY. To develop their confidence to practice their language and communication skills through all areas of learning. 

*Physical Development

Helping children to develop physical control of their bodies. Move and travel with co-ordination and balance, developing an awareness of space and safety, using a range of small and large apparatus indoors and outdoors. Be able to handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials, such as clay and play dough with increasing control.

Specific Areas

*Literacy

Encouraging children to make marks and ascribe meaning to their marks, to recognise and write their name and begin to form some letter shapes. Begin to hear and say the sounds at the beginning of familiar words and to develop their awareness of hearing and saying rhyming words. Develop a love of books through stories, poems, songs, music and nursery rhymes.

*Mathematics

Helping children to develop their counting, number recognition and early calculating skills. To recognise shapes and different sizes and begin to use the correct mathematical vocabulary to describe objects by such features.  

*Understanding the World

Helping children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world and their environment through investigating, experimenting, questioning and exploring.

*Expressive Arts and Design

Helping children to develop their creative, imaginative and story telling skills. To learn simple songs and nursery rhymes and respond to music through dance and movement. To develop children’s CONFIDENCE and INDEPENDENCE TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES and use a wide variety of materials and media to explore colour, texture, shape and pattern.

Strategies for teaching and learning will vary and will be adapted to suit the needs of all children. Planning for early years experiences builds upon what the children already know and can do, and will accommodate their different levels of abilities and needs. The curriculum areas are planned for carefully to facilitate high quality education through child initiated and adult led play, both indoors and outdoors.

Assessment

Assessment is key in the EYFS to ensure that children are constantly learning, developing, achieving and reaching their full potential. Detailed baselines are completed in the first six weeks. Attainment is recorded three times a year on a program called SONAR. All foundational skills are tracked and analysed closely to ensure any children who need extra support or intervention are identified quickly to ensure any gaps in learning can be addressed. We currently use an app called Class Dojo to record and monitor observations. Parents and guardians are able to access these and can contribute towards this.