Our Nursery

At St Mary’s Nursery we believe that children have the ability to learn through a variety of teaching and child-initiated activities. Children learn from what they experience around them, so in order to enhance a child’s learning, nursery staff make use of the social environment as well as adult and peer interactions.

In order to develop the fundamental learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), our nursery staff understand the importance of assessment and planning to ensure that each child is at the center of their own learning experiences. Children are influenced by many experiences within their early years. Each child’s learning is a journey created by their prior knowledge from various encounters and our practitioners have the ability to embrace these experiences and use the knowledge of parents and the community to help enhance their learning. Our nursery staff will plan and challenge your child’s learning using the indoor and outdoor provision, developing and scaffolding their learning through adult focused and child initiated activities.

The nursery team are always planning by following your child’s learning/ interests through spontaneous activities. Alongside this the nursery teacher will plan purposeful activities, allowing your child to engage in sustained shared thinking, problem solving skills and critically thinking, allowing them to engage in deeper learning and identifying your child's next steps in learning. As a result of this, your child’s confidence will grow conclusively, with the correct nurturing presented by an intuitive adult.

The Nursery Curriculum

The Nursery day is planned to provide the broad and balanced curriculum as laid out in the Government document, ‘The Early Years Foundation Stage’. This curriculum is divided into seven areas:

•  Personal and Social Development – This area of learning focuses on how children learn to work, play and co-operate with others. It covers important aspects of personal, moral and spiritual development and includes the development of personal values and understanding of one’s own feelings and those of others.
•  Communication and Language – This area of development includes speaking and listening; attention and understanding.  
•  Literacy – This area covers all aspects of early reading and writing skills.  
•  Mathematical Development – This area covers all aspects of early mathematics and lays the foundations for numeracy. We focus on practical activities that encourage the use and understanding of mathematical language and ideas. Activities are planned to develop in children a growing understanding and confidence in the use of numbers.  
•  Understanding of the World - This area of learning focuses on developing children’s understanding of their environment, other people and features of the natural and man-made world. It provides a foundation for the later subjects of science, history, geography and technology.  
•  Physical Development – This area of learning focuses on children’s developing physical control, mobility, awareness of space and manipulative skills. It covers both large movements such as those used in running and jumping as well as the fine control of tools such as pens and needle and thread.  
•  Expressive Arts and Design – This area of learning focuses on the development of children’s imagination and their ability to communicate ideas and feelings in creative ways through music, art and imaginative play.