Nursery and Reception

To extend the learning experiences during this important phase of your child’s life; we have developed our Nursery and Reception classrooms into an Early Years Unit.

• Children have access during the day to both classrooms, the different staff and resources each curriculum area has to offer.
• Children have access all day to our large outside area. The outdoor environment provides a dynamic and natural space for learning and development for our children. We place great importance in our outdoor learning.

"Outdoors, children can have the freedom to explore different ways of ‘being', feeling, behaving and interacting; they have space - physical, mental and emotional. They may feel less controlled by adults and are able to learn in the way that comes naturally to them - through play." (Learning Through Landscapes)

The play that children engage in both inside and outside is part of their learning and the learning opportunities planned by adults are there to stimulate and challenge children.

‘Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development’ (Revised EYFS 2014)

• Our staff are there to facilitate learning. We do this through observations and interactions.
• Our staff know the children very well and have sound understanding of child development. This ensures that the adults enhance and extend each child’s learning at the appropriate level.

Learning to learn is a vital part of the EYFS curriculum and it is something that we will help children with in order to support them to become effective life-long learners.

Nursery Class Parents' Handbook

Reception Class Parents' Handbook

The Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the period of learning and development from birth to the end of their first year in school (Reception). It is called the Early Years Foundation Stage because it gives children secure foundations to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. The Early Years Foundation Stage forms a holistic approach, which aims to develop the whole child socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. Children are born ready, able and eager to learn. By taking each unique child and helping them to develop positive relationships within an enabling environment we will see them learn and develop.

The EYFS Framework describes how playgroups, day nurseries, child-minders, nursery (F1) and reception classes (F2) should work with children and their families to support their development and learning. It describes how your child should be kept safe and cared for and how all concerned can make sure that your child achieves the most that they can in their earliest years of life. This framework is based on four important principles:

A unique child– Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. This means we recognise that children develop in individual ways and at varying rates. We are inclusive and ensure that no child or family is discriminated against, and that the health, wellbeing and safety of the children in our care is paramount.

Positive Relationships – Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships. We see parents as partners – when parents & EYFS staff work together it has a positive impact on children’s development and learning. Every child has a ‘Key Person’ in the EYFS who develops a warm, trusting relationship with them, giving them the reassurance to feel safe and cared for.

Enabling Environments – Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers. By giving the children a rich and varied learning environment, making use of both inside and outside areas, we believe we support every child in their learning and development. Activities are planned by observing the children in order to understand their individual needs.

Learning and Development— Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early year’s provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

We recognise that play is a child’s work and that children learn best through physical and mental challenges. Playing is the child’s way of discovering the world around him/her and how it works. Play is a natural vehicle for learning because it naturally motivates young children. Learning experiences with a variety of materials provide opportunities for exploration and experimentation, construction and representation, creation and imagination, learning skills and concepts, repetition, consolidation, socialisation and emotional security. Early experiences affect children’s attitudes to learning. They create the basis for later learning.

We want all children to have enjoyable and satisfying childhood experiences.

The Characteristics of Effective Learning

Three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are:

• playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things and ‘have a go
• active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements and
• creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things

These underpin learning and development across all areas and support the child to remain an effective and motivated learner.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum

We will be using a carefully balanced curriculum focusing on the seven areas of learning and development all of which are important and inter-connected.

The three prime areas, which are crucial for building children’s capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive, are:

• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development