Teacher-Led Planning and Expertise
Our Nursery is led by our Head of Early Years, a fully qualified teacher, who is supported by an experienced Nursery Manager and well-qualified nursery practitioners. This allows children from the age of 2 years, the opportunity to experience the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and to take advantage of teacher-led planning and expertise.
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum ‘Development Matters’ which develops skills, knowledge and attitudes in seven learning areas: Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design.
Much emphasis is placed on Personal, Social and Emotional Development, particularly in the first term of a child joining us. Vital life skills such as developing independence and being able to listen and contribute as part of a group are just some of the important skills that the children will acquire at this stage.
Thematic Learning
Each half term has a theme (which provides a focus for the children’s learning) and activities with clear learning objectives. A lot of these activities are creative, practical and self-initiated in nature as this is how young children learn most effectively. There are also opportunities for the children to participate in free flow learning, whereby their developmental milestones are recorded.
Wide Variety of Creative Play and Educational Activities
To keep little minds busy and balanced, creative arts, cookery, music and physical activity are all undertaken through play and adult led activity with the main focus on fun.
From painting to building, role play to story time and peaceful play to energetic fun, there is a broad scope for imaginations to run wild.
Dance
Dancing supports children’s holistic development whilst promoting health and well-being.
Our specialist dance coach leads weekly sessions in the nursery. The children can explore and engage with a range of different music and movements.
Spanish
Research has shown that learning a new language may contribute to the development of the brain, particularly in the areas of memory, speech and sensory processing, and it can also contribute to a child’s self-esteem – even being able to use some simple words and phrases can give children a real sense of achievement.
Weekly Spanish sessions are delivered in the nursery by one of the school’s experienced Modern Foreign Languages teachers.
Physical Education (PE)
In the Early Years, PE is about improving the skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. As well as having the benefits of being healthy and active, physical education can also promote a positive sense of wellbeing.
In the nursery, the children are always active, but our PE specialist teachers also work with them in weekly timetabled sessions. The children enjoy their PE learning as they explore new skills and experiences with their peers, collaborating and thinking creatively.
Music
Music stimulates brain development, language and vocabulary as well as auditory perception.
Language, reading and mathematical abilities, in particular, are developed through music activities.
Songs, rhymes and instruments can often be heard jovially coming from the nursery but, in addition to this, weekly sessions are also led by a Music specialist teacher to further motivate the children’s enthusiasm and development.
Tapestry – Online Learning Journal
We track our children’s developmental achievements using an Online Learning Journal called Tapestry. We use this to monitor progress and to share their most significant learning moments with you. Each week, there is a Nursery newsletter shared too, reflecting on the activities and topics that have been covered.
Smooth Transition from Nursery to Reception and Key Stage 1
Transition sessions start from the Spring Term of Pre-Reception with monthly visits to the Reception Class, meeting staff and exploring their environment.
The transition of children from Gosfield School Nursery through to Reception and Key Stage 1 is a seamless process, ensuring that the pace and quality of learning are maintained and that every child makes continual progress in their learning journey.
