Reading and Phonics

At Nursery, we lay the foundations for early reading through our daily Little Wandle, Foundations for Phonics sessions. These fun, engaging activities develop children’s listening, attention and communication skills, preparing them for future phonics learning.
Each day, children take part in Rhyme Time, where we learn and sing the same nursery rhyme over a two-week period. This repetition helps children become familiar with the language and rhythm of the rhyme before taking part in playful phonics activities that develop skills such as recognising rhyming words, clapping syllables, identifying initial sounds, listening for sound patterns and tuning into environmental and speech sounds.
Children also enjoy daily activities that develop listening and attention, including tuning into sounds and practising oral blending through familiar, repetitive games and routines.
Developing a love of reading is at the heart of our Nursery curriculum. We share a wide range of high-quality picture books alongside our Talk for Writing core texts, helping children build vocabulary, develop a love of stories and become confident communicators. Books are woven throughout the day, and children are encouraged to choose, explore and enjoy reading independently and with adults in our reading areas.

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Mark Making and Writing

We believe that writing begins long before a child holds a pencil. We provide a language-rich environment where children develop the communication, physical and creative skills needed to become confident writers.
Our writing opportunities are inspired by our Talk for Writing texts, which immerse children in stories through repetition, actions, role play and storytelling. By hearing and retelling familiar stories, children develop vocabulary, sentence structure and confidence to express their own ideas.
Developing the physical skills for writing is a key part of our curriculum. Every day, children take part in Dough Disco to strengthen the muscles in their hands and fingers. We also encourage large-scale movements, such as sweeping, painting, making large circles, zigzags and lines, to develop shoulder stability, core strength and coordination before moving on to smaller, more controlled movements.
Fine and gross motor skills are developed throughout our continuous provision through activities such as climbing, balancing, threading, construction, tweezers, playdough, cutting, painting and a range of sensory experiences.
Children are encouraged to make marks with purpose in all areas of the classroom and outdoor environment. They can access a wide range of mark-making materials to draw, paint, write, make lists, create maps, record ideas and add meaning to their play. Adults model writing in meaningful contexts, helping children understand that marks and writing have a purpose.
We also support children to develop a strong sense of identity through name recognition and name writing. Throughout the year, children progress from recognising their own name to making meaningful marks, attempting the letters in their name and, when ready, writing their name with increasing confidence.

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Maths 

At Nursery, we foster a love of maths through practical, hands-on experiences that are meaningful, engaging and rooted in play. We follow the White Rose Maths Nursery Scheme, which provides children with opportunities to develop a deep understanding of early mathematical concepts through exploration, discussion and problem-solving.
Maths is woven throughout our daily routines. During our morning calendar time, children develop their understanding of counting, number, sequencing, patterns and the language of time. We count how many children are in Nursery each day, compare quantities and use mathematical language naturally throughout our conversations.
Children learn through a wide range of mathematical experiences, including counting games, number songs and rhymes, stories with mathematical themes and practical activities that encourage them to notice patterns, compare, sort, match and explore shape, space and measure.
Each afternoon, children take part in a focused maths session within their family groups.
Children are encouraged to explore mathematical ideas independently, throughout both the indoor and outdoor learning environments. Whether they are building with blocks, filling and emptying containers, creating patterns, solving puzzles, investigating loose parts or engaging in imaginative play, they are developing their mathematical thinking in purposeful and meaningful ways. Adults model and extend mathematical vocabulary throughout the day, helping children to recognise that maths is all around them.

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Expressive Arts and Design

At Nursery we nurture children’s creativity, encouraging them to explore, investigate and express their ideas through a wide range of open-ended experiences. Children have daily access to a variety of creative materials, including paint, collage, playdough, drawing and junk modelling. They are encouraged to make their own choices, experiment with different techniques and use their imagination to create unique pieces of work. Adults support children to talk about their ideas, explore colour, texture and shape, and develop the confidence to express themselves creatively. Our creative experiences are often linked to our learning themes, seasonal changes, quality texts and children’s own interests, providing meaningful opportunities to explore and represent their ideas in different ways. Creative opportunities are also embedded throughout our continuous provision. Whether children are role playing, building with construction materials, creating small worlds, dancing outdoors or experimenting with natural materials, they are developing their imagination, problem-solving skills and confidence to think creatively. 
Music is an important part of Nursery life. Children enjoy singing every day through nursery rhymes, action songs. We have weekly music lessons with our external music teacher, Miss Callaghan. During these sessions, children explore rhythm, rhyme, pulse and movement, and have opportunities to play instruments, listen to different styles of music and respond through dance and movement.

Understanding of the World Opportunities

Children are naturally curious about the world around them, and we encourage this curiosity through exciting, hands-on experiences that inspire them to explore, question and discover.
Our learning is centred around engaging topics, high-quality texts and children’s interests, providing meaningful opportunities to learn about people, places, nature and the wider world. Children are encouraged to ask questions, investigate, make observations and talk about what they notice and discover. We make the most of our indoor and outdoor environments, giving children opportunities to explore the seasons, weather, plants, animals and natural materials. Through activities such as planting, bug hunts, nature walks and outdoor exploration, children develop an appreciation and respect for the natural world. Children learn about themselves, their families and the wider community, celebrating similarities and differences between people, cultures and traditions. We encourage children to share their own experiences and learn about the lives of others through stories, celebrations and real-life experiences.  

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Parent Corner 

Uniform and PE
Our uniform is grey trousers/skirt/dress, white polo shirt and purple jumper/cardigan. In reception we spend a lot of time outdoors so please provide a pair of wellies for your child and ensure that if it is cold they have a warm coat/hat/gloves. In hot weather children are encouraged to wear hats. Please label everything. 
We have PE on Monday. Please send your child to school wearing a white polo top, purple jumper or cardigan, black joggers/ leggings or shorts in warmer weather and trainers (not pumps). 
 
Library Books
Children will have a library book weekly which they have chosen from our school library. This is a book for you to enjoy reading with your child. Please return books on Monday so that we can change them ready for Wednesday. 
 
Inspire Workshops
We will conduct a variety of parent inspire workshops throughout the year. Throughout the year we will have inspire workshops focused around phonics and reading, writing and maths. 
 
Attendance/Punctuality
It is really important that your child attends school every day. However, if your child is sick then please phone the school office and inform them. In particular, if your child has vomited then they need to be off school for 48 hours. Picking your child up from school and dropping them off on time is extremely important. It supports your child settling into the classroom and also ensures they don’t miss out on any learning. Not arriving at school on time and being picked up late can be very distressing for a child. Also, if you require a person to pick up your child who is not on our list you will need to inform the school office/Reception staff.
 
Lunch
Children in Nursery are welcome to bring a healthy packed lunch or purchase a school meal. Please note that Nursery children are not automatically entitled to Universal Infant Free School Meals, although some families may be eligible for Free School Meals depending on their circumstances.
If you choose for your child to have school dinners or a packed lunch, we kindly ask that you stick to your chosen option wherever possible and avoid changing between the two on a regular basis. If you do need to make a permanent change, please inform a member of staff in advance. This helps us to order the correct number of meals and reduce food waste. 
All nursery children are provided with free milk and fruit each day as part of their daily snack. Children are welcome to bring a named bottle of water to school. Please only send water in bottles- squash and juice are not permitted.   

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And finally…
Please check your child’s bag for letters regarding events or other important information and also ensure that you download the ARBOR app onto your phone for information and messages from school.  If you have any queries or concerns we are always here to support. Please do not hesitate to inform us either in person, email or phone call.