Approach to learning

We provide a friendly and supportive atmosphere alongside a varied and stimulating timetable ensuring your child enjoys their first experiences of school whilst fostering an enthusiasm for learning. Group sizes are kept small within each classroom so staff can provide the necessary care and attention for each child to enable them to reach their full potential.

At Noddy’s we recognise that children under 5 are learning all the time through everything they do and that each day is a new learning opportunity which we seek to optimise. By following the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (EYFS) we can assess each child as an individual and provide accurate feedback to parents and what to expect, when?

The EYFS provides 7 areas of learning and development, which are all inter-connected. Whilst all the areas are important, there are 3 areas which are crucial as they encourage a child’s curiosity and enthusiasm and build their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

The 3 prime areas are:

-       Personal, social and emotional development

-       Communication and language

-       Physical development

In turn, the nursery will also support your child in the 4 specific areas through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied. For under 2's we concentrate predominantly on the prime areas. Accordingly, if they are showing signs of interest in the specific areas we will plan for these too. 

 The specific areas are: 

-       Literacy

-       Mathematics

-       Understanding the World

-       Expressive Arts and Design

We deliver learning through play and embed maths and literacy in our activities using materials and resources to support reading, writing, numbers and shape recognition. We believe that children should develop a love of learning and our play based approach provides an opportunities for each child to thrive and maximise their potential.  Your child will play with dough and sand and pincers and squishy balls to develop their hand strength and control in order for them to have the skills to hold a pencil to write.  Your child will learn number songs, be asked to help set out the table for meal times, bake and go on number walks to help them to count and recognise numbers.  Our older children will also be given the opportunity to join in with specific short phonics and maths sessions that are planned to meet your child’s individual stage of learning and are closely overseen by our english and maths leads.  

Parents may request to see any records of their child’s learning and view photographs of their activities at any time.