The Nursery Curriculum

At Little Robins Nursery we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework (EYFS).

Within the EYFS there are four guiding principles which shape the practice in an early years setting these are:

• Unique child - looking at each child as a unique individual who is constantly learning
• Positive relationships - enabling children to learn to be strong and independent
• Enabling environments with teaching and support from adults - where individual

interests and needs are celebrated

• Learning and development - importance of children learning and developing at different rates

There are seven areas of learning and development, all areas of development are important and interconnected. There are three prime areas of learning and development which build a foundation for igniting children curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, these are:

• Communication and Language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development

 

These three prime areas are strengthened, supported and used in learning within the four specific

areas:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understand the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

Each area of learning is carefully planned for by the nursery teacher themed around a topic, the topic and themes that are covered are led by the children and based on their interests. The children’s learning will be shared with you via Tapestry and any interests your child may share at home, with you, connected to the current topic can be shared with nursery via tapestry for the children to then share with their peers.

You can access the EYFS framework online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early- years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

Communication & Language

Children learn through language and this helps them to understand the world around them. Children will engage in a rich and varied experience of opportunities to develop their speaking, understanding and listening skills.

Children will be given the opportunity to use there skills throughout their days in nursery and will be independently challenged to further their skills communicating, this may be questioning what they are explaining, engaging another peer in the conversation or anything else.

Adults within nursery will model communication and language skills, through commenting on what they are doing or are interested in, echoing back what the children say adding new vocabulary for the children to use in future, reading frequently with the children engaging them in stories, rhymes and poems.

Through role play, modelling, support and sensitive questioning children become confident and comfortable to use a rich range of vocabulary in their daily speaking.

Physical Development

Children are given a range of opportunities to develop their gross and fine motor skills. These include learning how to move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space and how to handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing. 

Children will learn about keeping healthy and how to look after themselves, making healthy decisions regarding food, activity and teeth cleaning. These skills will be developed through engaging in a range of physical activities, snack time and discussions as a class about how to be healthy.

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

Young children are interested in other people. We give them opportunities to understand their own feelings and emotions and to become aware of the needs of others. How to recognise what others are feelings and how we can support our peers in that.

Children learn to cope with group situations at nursery for example, taking it in turns to speak and use a toy or resource.

Through a range of activities and resources we develop children’s confidence in different situations to ensure they can thrive wherever they are.

Literacy

Children learn to listen to and join in with nursery rhymes, stories and poems. This helps them to develop their understanding of how stories are made; characters, main events and story settings

Every child will have the opportunity to experience a range of activities to develop their early phonic skills. For example by developing an awareness of sounds around us, joining in with rhyming and rhythmic and activities and developing an awareness of rhyme and alliteration.

Children have access to a wide range of books and are encouraged to create their own story by looking at the pictures and then ask a grown up to read the story and see if they got any of the details correct.

Children are encouraged to explore writing materials in both imaginative and directed activities.

Through literacy activities children are encouraged to make marks and give these marks meanings, even if they are not recognisable the child will know what they have drawn. Marks become increasingly recognisable and children are encouraged to form letters and make connections with their letter knowledge, for example knowing that ‘m’ for mummy is the same as ‘m’ for monkey.

Mathematics

Children are given first-hand experiences of natural and everyday materials. This helps them develop basic ideas about shapes, position and number knowledge.

Daily counting/sequencing activities take place giving children early counting skills. During child led learning there are many opportunities for children to practise counting objects, comparing items by size, comparing groups of objects, shape exploration, pattern making, positional language activities and recognising numerals.

Children also take part in adult directed activities where they practise and develop these skills, being individually challenged during this adult interaction.

Understanding the World

Looking at the world around them helps young children to develop lively and enquiring minds.

Children use their senses to explore and discover the world around them, developing an understanding of the natural environment and how we can care for it.

Children develop an understanding of their family and their family history, noticing differences between their family and others.

They use their wide range of vocabulary to talk about what they have seen and experienced and how this may vary from what others have.

Children also begin to understand the life cycle of animals and plants and the impact we as humans have on them.

Expressive Arts & Design

Children are encouraged to explore sounds, colours, textures, shape and space.

Imaginative play helps develop ideas and children are also encouraged to listen and observe through activities like drama, music and craft.

Children are introduced to a wide range of materials, tools and instruments to encourage them to express their ideas and communicate their feelings.

Children are encouraged to express themselves through movement, songs, art, drawing and music.