Personal, social and emotional development
Children need to have self-esteem, confidence, and motivation to be successful learners. They need to develop concentration and learn how to cooperate. We encourage these skills and promote respect for others. Children learn to care for the environment and respect both their own culture and those of other people. They develop independence and the ability to take turns and to share through many different nursery activities.
Communication, language and literacy
In the nursery, we develop children's speaking and listening and early reading and writing skills. Role-play, stories, rhymes and poems are all used to encourage a growing vocabulary. We use a wide range of books to foster an interest in reading and children are encouraged to take a book home each week to share with an adult. A number of nursery activities help with the recognition of familiar words and the sounds, names and shapes of letters. Children experiment with mark making and early writing skills.
Mathematical development
We use practical activities to develop mathematical skills and language. The children gain experience in counting, matching, sorting, ordering and comparing. They learn about shape and pattern and about ways of measuring time, volume and capacity. We play games, which involve number and devise activities, which enable children to explore shapes and measures, discussing what they are doing so that the appropriate vocabulary is absorbed.
Knowledge and understanding of the world
Children are encouraged to find out about other people and the world around them. Work in this area of learning provides the foundation for later study of subjects such as science, history, technology and geography. We plan activities, which enable the children to explore a range of materials and living things, encouraging the children to question and investigate. For example, the children plant and water seeds and we discuss how these grow; we undertake water and sand investigations; we do some cooking and help children to use computer and tabletop games and puzzles.
Physical development
We plan varied activities, both indoors and outdoors, which help children to develop physical control, awareness of space and manipulative skills.
Creative development
Children develop their creative skills through art, music, dance and drama. They will sing and use simple musical instruments. By using a wide variety of art materials, they can explore colour and texture and practise the skills needed to express themselves creatively. This may be through painting and drawing or modelling with clay, dough and other materials.