The Children in the nursery follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). This is a framework for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. It is divided into three Prime area of learning and development:
- Personal, Social and Emotional development
- Physical development
- Communication and Language development
And four specific areas of learning and development:
- Literacy
- Maths
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
We use this curriculum framework to help us observe and plan for your child following their own particular needs and interests.
Outdoor Play
The Early Years Foundation Stage states that children must have access to outside provision all year round. Children enjoy playing outside in all weathers, including rain, and benefit in many ways, including:
- Learning to take risks and try new activities
- Exploring the natural environment
- Having the opportunity and space to run, skip, hop and jump around
- Developing independence
- Increasing knowledge of wildlife, plants, the weather, seasons etc.
- Developing physically, mentally and spiritually
The curriculum experience is different outside and research shows that young children benefit from outdoor play as they tend to learn from hands on experiences. Children can develop their vital gross motor skills by running, climbing, balancing etc. Fresh air and exercise are proven to be good for the development of the brain and for a general feeling of wellbeing.
Parental Information About The Curriculum
At the beginning of each term, parents receive a Topic Overview that provides details about the learning that will take place during that term and what you can do at home to support your child’s learning.
An overview of the school’s curriculum is available from the school office or on the website curriculum page.
Session start and finish times
While our sessions have a very clear start and end times, we allow 15 minutes of flexibility to drop off and collect in order to spread out the arrival and departure of the children as much as possible.
Morning session (15 hours): 8:45-11:45
The gate on Nelgarde Road will be open between 8:45am and 9:00am for ‘drop off’ and between 11:30am and 11:45am for ‘collection’.
Afternoon session (15 hours): 12:30-3:30
The gate on Nelgarde Road will be open between 12:30pm and 12:45pm for ‘drop off’ and between 3:15pm and 3:30pm for ‘collection’.
Full time session (30 hours): 8:45am-3:30pm
Lunch time will be 11:30-12:30.
If you arrive at school outside of these times the gate on Nelgarde Road will be shut and you will need to go to the main office on Nelgarde Road.
Please remember that good punctuality is vital as children arriving late may miss important routines and learning opportunities, and can also become anxious and upset if not collected on time at the end of the morning.
Children should be brought into the nursery building and should be encouraged to find their name and hang up their coat and bag.
If the person who normally brings and collects your child is unable to do so for any reason please inform the nursery immediately. Similarly, it is important to let your child know if someone different is collecting them as this can prevent any anxiety.
For safety reasons, if someone arrives to collect your child who is unknown to us we will NOT let your child go until we have contacted you.
Anyone authorised to collect your child from school MUST be over 16 years old.