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Nursery Education

Development and Learning

We provide a wide range of activities with an emphasis on fun and learning through play.

In order to learn, children need to be happy and secure in their surroundings, we provide a relaxed, family environment.

In order to promote learning, we encourage plenty of physical play as this stimulates the relevant areas of the brain.

We also encourage plenty of music, rhymes and singing as this is important for mathematical and literacy development.

We provide planned activities and learning opportunities for children, following their interests and the use of any opportunities, which may arise unexpectedly, as suggested under the Early Years Foundation Stage.

We keep developmental records of the children in the Foundation Stage age group, including photographs, snapshot observations and 'Learning Journeys' which we share with parents regularly.

The goals cover the seven areas of learning:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Mathematics
• Literacy
• Understanding the World
• Expressive arts and design

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

The goals in this area concentrate on dispositions and attitudes, such as confidence, self-esteem, tolerance, respect for others and a sense of personal and social responsibility. They also include self-care and behaviour.

These are achieved with activities such as outings to organised play sessions, group activities, role play, dressing up, cooking, physical play and visits within the community.

Communication, Language

The goals here promote understanding, the development of listening skills and language.

Activities for this include listening games, sound walks, rhymes/action rhymes and conversation to promote and encourage speech.

Literacy

These goals include linking sounds and letters, reading and writing.

Activities under this heading are: group games, books, stories and music to promote literacy, art and crafts for exercising choice and developing hand/eye co-ordination.

Mathematics

Under this heading, activities are concerned with numbers, calculating and shape, space and measure. The aims are to enable the children to problem solve, gain awareness of similarities in size, shape etc. by observation and also becoming confident in the use of number in their everyday play.

These goals are achieved by activities such as puzzles and matching games, sand and water play, which can be used to develop concepts such as volume and capacity, arts, crafts, construction toys, cooking and both number and story books.

Understanding the World

These goals are concerned with exploration, investigation, designing and making skills, information and communication technology, senses of time and place and cultures and beliefs. It is also an aim to promote curiosity and enthusiasm for life.

Activities under this heading include: handling different materials, observing the world around us, using tools and techniques to construct in a variety of ways, using equipment and ICT apparatus. We also go on outings to promote an interest in the world around us.

Physical Development

The goals under this heading concentrate on movement, sense of space, health and bodily awareness and using equipment, tools and materials. The aim is to control and co-ordinate fine and gross motor movements.

Many activities help to promote these skills, such as arts and craft, dressing up, music and movement, construction toys and large play equipment both indoor and outdoor. We try to use the outdoors as much as the weather permits and get out to playgrounds and woods/parks, National Trust properties for tree climbing and exploration etc. At home, outside we have a 'Secret Garden' where the children can balance on logs, make mud pies and hide in wigwams.

Expressive Arts and Design

In this area the goals are concerned with exploring materials, music, imagination, responding to experiences and expressing and communicating ideas. The aims are to create an ability to recall, reflect and represent experience through symbols, drawing, painting, role play, music, dancing etc. and also to think imaginatively and to be creative.