🌱 How We Deliver Our Early Years Curriculum

In our Foundation Unit (Nursery and Reception), we provide a high-quality curriculum based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework. Children learn through a balance of adult-led teaching and child-initiated play, supported by skilled adults, a stimulating environment and strong partnerships with parents. Our curriculum is designed to nurture confidence, curiosity and independence.

 

📚 Our curriculum is built around seven areas of learning and development.

Prime Areas

These provide the foundations for all learning:

• Communication and Language – developing speaking, listening and vocabulary through stories, conversations and play.
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development – building confidence, independence, relationships and self-regulation.
• Physical Development – developing coordination, balance and strength through active play and fine motor skills through activities such as drawing, cutting and construction.

Specific Areas

These build on the prime areas:

• Literacy – fostering a love of stories, early reading through phonics and early writing through mark-making and sentence building.
• Mathematics – developing number sense, pattern, shape and problem-solving through practical experiences.
• Understanding the World – exploring the natural world, communities, cultures and how things work.
• Expressive Arts and Design – encouraging creativity through art, music, role play and imaginative play.

🎈 Learning Through Play

Play is central to how young children learn. Children are given time and opportunities to:

• explore resources and materials
• investigate ideas and ask questions
• practise new skills
• revisit learning through play
• develop independence and curiosity

Adults carefully observe children as they play and use these observations to support their next steps in learning.

🤝 The Role of Adults

Adults play an important role in supporting children’s development across all seven areas of learning.

Practitioners:

• model language and introduce new vocabulary
• ask questions to extend children’s thinking
• support problem solving and collaboration
• guide learning through small group teaching
• respond to children’s interests

Through these high-quality interactions, adults help children develop confidence, language and a love of learning.

🧩 Continuous Provision

Children have access to a wide range of carefully planned continuous provision areas both indoors and outdoors. These areas allow children to explore learning independently while practising key skills across all areas of the curriculum.

Examples of provision include:

• role play and small world
• construction and building
• creative and art areas
• writing and mark-making
• mathematics resources
• investigation and exploration areas
• reading and storytelling spaces

Each area is enhanced with resources and vocabulary linked to current learning.

🎨 Creative & Practical Learning

Children are encouraged to explore materials and develop independence.

For example:

• In the painting area, children mix their own colours using powder paint to explore colour and creativity.
• Children have access to a range of tools including paintbrushes, pencils and children’s scissors, helping them develop fine motor skills safely.
• Construction and creative resources allow children to design, build and develop imaginative ideas.

These experiences support both Expressive Arts and Design and Physical Development.

🌦️ Outdoor Learning 

Outdoor learning is an important part of our curriculum and children access the outdoor environment every day.

Our outdoor area includes:

• a climbing frame to develop strength, coordination and balance
• balance bikes to build confidence and gross motor skills
• open spaces for running, games and exploration
• opportunities to explore nature and seasonal changes

Children are encouraged to go outdoors in all weathers. Waterproof clothing and wellies allow children to continue exploring and learning throughout the year.

Outdoor play supports Physical Development, Understanding the World, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Communication and Language.

🏡 Indoor Learning Environment

Our indoor learning environment is carefully organised to provide a calm, language-rich and stimulating space.

Children can move independently between different areas of learning, developing important learning behaviours such as:

• curiosity
• perseverance
• creativity
• independence

Adults support learning through discussion, modelling and shared experiences.

👨‍👩‍👧 Working in Partnership with Parents

Parents and carers are an important part of their child’s learning journey. We work closely with families through:

• Stay and Play sessions
• workshops and events
• regular communication and shared observations
• suggestions for activities to support learning at home

This partnership helps ensure every child is supported to thrive.

🚀 Preparing Children for the Future

Through our carefully planned curriculum, supportive relationships and stimulating environment, children develop the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

Our aim is for every child to leave our Foundation Unit as a happy, confident learner who is ready for Year 1.