At St Clare’s Nursery we follow the EYFS Statuary Framework, which includes the Seven Areas of Learning and Characteristics of Effective Learning. We also follow Cornerstone Curriculum, White Rose Maths and Letters and Sounds Programme. The nursery is set up with these in mind. Children are able to access all of these areas on a free flow basis. 

We encourage children to learn through play, child and adult initiated activities. For example arts and craft, tuff trays, messy play e.g. water, sand, mud and children’s individual interests. We also access a variety toys and equipment in the garden.  

Personal, Social and Emotional (PSE) 

We support children to build positive relationships, develop self-confidence and understand their emotions. Children are encouraged to share, take turns and develop independence in a safe environment. Children are supported through transitions by their key person and opportunities are provided for children to manage feelings through reassurance, routine and positive relationships. 

The children are provided with the following opportunities and resources to support their PSE development: 

• Realistic home corner – including babies, prams, cots, feeding equipment, clothing kitchen utensils, and food play sets, hoovers, sofas etc. 

• Role play area which changes frequently – including doctors, vets, hairdressers, garden centre and ice cream shop. 

• Construction area – including a variety of bricks, cars, construction vehicles, tool set, dressing up and workbench. 

• Small world play – including cars, garages, trains and tracks, space toys, multicultural people and doll houses, farm and zoo animals, hospital and fire stations. 

 

Communication and Language 

We support children to develop their listening, understanding and speaking skills through stories, songs, play and positive communication. Children are encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings in a safe and supportive environment. We aim for children to become confident communicators with an increasing vocabulary. The following strategies are used to enhance these skills:  

• Visual timetables, calendar and weather board. 

• Puppet play. 

• Singing and circle times. 

• Makaton during songs, action rhymes and stories. 

• Visual reminders (now and then board). 

• Self Registration. 

 

Physical 

We support children to develop their gross and fine motor skills through play. We provide challenging activities to encourage children to build confidence, resilience and independence. The use of the following resources provide extensive opportunity to expand their development within this area: 

• A large garden containing a climbing frame, bikes and scooters, sand pit, water tray, mud kitchen, balance beams and more. 

• Tuff trays promoting fine motor skills. 

• Newly developed soft play area and sensory area. 

• Threading. 

• Scissor control.  

• Mark making.  

 

Literacy 

Children are encouraged to develop a love of books and mark making through a range of activities, cosy areas and circle times. We support early reading and writing skills through songs, rhymes and meaningful experiences. Opportunities are provided for children to integrate and immerse themselves into stories and we strive to enhance engagement and enjoyment throughout. Provision includes: 

• ‘Letters and Sounds’ – Phonics Programme followed also used in Reception - We focus on children recognising environmental sounds before moving onto rhyming words, letter sounds and syllables by playing a structured set of games every day. 

• Core books - Wonky Donkey, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Traditional Fairy Tales and Julia Dondalson books such as The Gruffalo, Stick Man and The Snail And The Whale to name a few. 

• Story Sacks/ Story Spoons. 

• Puppets. 

 

Mathematics 

Children are encouraged to explore and develop their understanding of numbers, shapes, space and measure through activities and everyday experiences. We support children to explore patterns, problem solving and mathematical language through the White Rose Maths Programme as well as: 

• Number Block activities.  

• Number songs. 

• Counting forwards and backwards. 

• Shape matching, sorting and recognition.  

• Weighing and measuring. 

   

Understanding the World 

We support children to explore people, places and the natural world through hands on experiences. Opportunities are provided for children to investigate, discuss and learn about the world around them. We also provide the following experiences which lead to further discussions, broadening the children’s knowledge and understanding: 

• Bug hotel in the garden. 

• Growing area maintained by the children. 

• Special Dates celebrated – including Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Pancake Day, Remembrance Day and Bonfire Night. 

• Festivals and Religious Events – including Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Chinese New Year etc. 

• Special snacks to celebrate cultures, traditions and cuisines. 

• Cooking once a week (day is alternated each week to ensure all children access this).

 

Expressive Arts and Design 

Children are supported to explore creativity, imagination and self-expression through art, music and dance. Opportunities are provided for children to experiment with materials, resources and role play. For example:  

• Craft activity daily, linked to the Cornerstone Curriculum topic for that week. 

• Play dough. 

• Access to drawing, mark making, paint, scissors throughout the session. 

• Chalk and other mark making resources in the garden. 

• Music sessions using various musical instruments. 

• Group songs and dance. 

  

Soft Play and Sensory Area 

We have recently developed a soft play and sensory area in the nursery. 

The sensory area has a dark den, sensory lighting, calm sounds and soft pillows. This provides a safe, calm space for children to unwind and regulate when feeling overwhelmed. Children who require additional sensory support can access this space during their session on a 1:1 or within a group. The space also has sensory puzzles and books providing tactile and visual stimulation. In addition, we have toys that spin, flap, light up, can be squeezed, pushed and guttering for rolling balls, these support co-ordination and teach cause and effect.  

The soft play area is a safe space for children to exert their energy, learning skills in climbing, building co-ordination, balance and physical fitness. Children also learn the skills of turn taking, enhancing confidence, resilience, self-esteem, independence, curiosity and how to problem solve in challenging situations. 

These areas can be accessed by children with additional needs during episodes of dysregulation, ensuring they are safe and supporting their development. 

 

Our Garden 

Since opening the nursery in September 2021, we have been very lucky to have received donations from families, the community and the school PTA which has enabled us to develop our outside environment. On our grassed area we have a climbing frame, balance beams, tyres, tunnels, bridges, music wall and small climbing structures. All of these resources help the children to develop their gross motor skills, resilience and confidence. We also have lots of bikes, cars and scooters for the children to enjoy riding up and down the garden on. We have a variety of smaller resources for the children to enjoy such as hoops, beanbags, bats and balls, mark making flowers, chalk, basketball hoops and football goals.  

 

Mud Kitchen  

Staff have recently expanded our mud kitchen area to include realistic kitchen utensils, cookery items and lots of bark for the children to explore. A very big thank you to The Tyre Centre Clacton for a donation of tyres to help section this area.  

 

Growing Area and Bug Hotel 

In our garden we have a special area dedicated to growing as well as bug investigation. The children plant flowers, fruits and vegetables and look after the garden by watering, weeding and planting seeds. We have so far grown radishes, carrots, lettuce and beans. The children pick their produce and we try it during snack time. 

Next to our growing area we have our bug hotel. Staff have made this using pallets and various loose parts. The children enjoy bug hunting and placing their bugs inside the hotel. We have recently invested in some bug hunting equipment and are in the process of building a bug investigation station. This will expand on children’s knowledge about different bugs and insects – looking at how many legs they have, what colours they are and their preferred habitats. 

 

Sand pit  

We have a large sand pit in the garden which was very kindly built by one of the staff’s family members. The children can access this every time we are outside. We rotate resources in here, for example, construction vehicles and dinosaurs. The children are encouraged to transport the sand around the sand pit, build structures and sandcastles and explore the different textures of wet and dry sand.