Curriculum

Play is the child’s way of learning and its importance cannot be over emphasised.  For the child there is no division between play and work.  Play is work, when children are playing they are learning.  Play needs to be usefully planned to achieve a balance between independent and direct activities.  Play allows for exploration, observation, development of language skills, social development and development of manipulative skills.  There are a variety of play situations, solitary, spectator, parallel and partnership play where a child can discover,    re-discover, and build on past experiences.

Communication and Language

We aim to provide a stimulating environment that helps children to look and think in different ways and ask questions building upon what they bring with them and exploration of their new nursery.

Personal and Social Development

We aim to meet the child’s emotional, social intellectual and physical needs preparing our children for life in an multi-cultural world.  We will encourage children to become independent, confident and learn to appreciate their similarities and differences.

Physical Development

We aim to provide multi opportunities for physical development and lay the foundations for a healthy lifestyle and attitude in the years to come.  Children will be encouraged to learn new skills, move expressively to music, control their bodies and be aware of aspects of space when moving.

Literacy

We aim to provide a positive attitude to books and ensure that your child’s first encounter with book is a pleasurable experience associated with listening to stories, rhymes and poems.

Opportunities will be provided to practice and develop manipulative skills to encourage emergent writing using a wide variety of different media.

Maths

We aim to provide for mathematical development by planning activities based on play and introducing mathematical language as early as possible using songs and rhymes.  Children will be encouraged to think logically and make judgments based on reasons and comparing possible alternatives.

Understanding the world

We aim to provide a wide range of experiences to allow children to explore, predict and ask questions about the world around them.  Children will have opportunities to collect, investigate, observe, garden, discuss, cook, use sand and water, use special equipment and use all their senses.

Expressive Arts and Design

We aim to foster children’s creative and aesthetic learning through the development of arts and crafts.  They will be encouraged to use, explore and create with a range of materials.  Children will respond with enthusiasm to music and rhyme and have opportunities to experiment with sound.