Curriculum

“Play is the highest form of research” Albert Einstein

Exciting times ahead for you and your child.

At Angmering Day Nursery we go beyond government curriculum guidance and bring it to life with exciting and engaging learning opportunities for every early years child in our care. Each childs learning experience is specifically tailored to their own interests and needs.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), is a very important stage as it helps your child get ready for school as well as preparing them for their future learning and successes.

From when your child is born up until the age of 5, their early years experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support their development, care and learning needs. Nurseries, pre-schools, reception classes and childminders registered to deliver the EYFS must follow a legal document called the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

The EYFS Framework explains how and what your child will be learning, to support their healthy development through play. There are 7 areas of learning and development. The 3 prime areas are key to building strong foundations on which other aspects of learning can be built. These are:

Communication and language (C & L):

We encourage children to chat in their family pods at mealtimes and throughout their day, supported by quality adult interactions. We also use Makaton and try to learn some words in children’s home language to give them security and help develop trusting relationships.

Physical development (PD):

We have lots of opportunities to explore inside and out. Constructing with and using large and small equipment. Developing fine and gross motor skills, balance and coordination, which are important in developing pre writing and reading skills. We also encourage children to understand their own needs and develop self-help skills like feeding, dressing and toileting.

Personal, Social and Emotional development (PSED):

All children are part of a family pod where they share mealtimes, sleep times and small group time with key people who will support and plan for your child’s developmental needs and record their achievements and milestones. Children are encouraged to develop a tolerance and understanding of each other’s differences, understand and share their own feelings in a safe environment.

As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. These are:

Literacy (LIT):

Children have access to books, magazines, computers and resources that help to encourage children’s understanding and skills in pre reading and writing. They will share stories, rhymes and songs and are surrounded with words as labels within their environment. We encourage children to write shopping lists, make invitations and draw plans which support their imaginative play.

Mathematics (MD):

Numbers are used as labels within the environment and children are encouraged to count measure and solve problems within their play and everyday routines like mealtimes, making playdough and painting. There are lots of opportunities to explore mathematical concepts with sand, water, constructing, cooking and time.

Understanding the world (U of W):

Children explore their community, environment and changes in it through the seasons, encouraging caring skills and developing knowledge as they grow their own veg or care for pets. Children are encouraged to embrace their differences and similarities as we explore other cultures. Children have access to a computer, camera, video camera and other ICT equipment and are encouraged to explore how things work and what they can do with them.

Expressive Arts and Design (EA&D):

Children will have access to a huge range of resources that enable them to explore a variety of media including paint, playdough, pencils, glue, materials, shaving foam, gloop, water, sand and other messy media. They develop an understanding of how to use a variety of tools and resources to create. Children are encouraged to join in singing, dancing or storytelling sessions and make up their own storylines or rhymes. This allows children to express themselves in a variety of ways.

You can also find out more about the EYFS on our FAQs Page

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How can I help with my child’s learning at home?

Try to speak to your child’s key person as often as possible about what your child has been doing, what they have enjoyed, what they need to be doing more of and what you can do at home. Our staff can also give you advice about the kinds of books or other activities your child might enjoy at different ages. All the fun activities that you do with your child at home are important in supporting their learning and development, and have a really long lasting effect on your child’s learning as they progress through school.

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How will you know how your child is getting on?

It is important for your child that we work together. We want you to feel comfortable about exchanging information and discussing things that will benefit your child. These conversations will either need to be with your child’s “Key person” or the nursery manager . These are the adults who:

Are your main point of contact within the nursery
Help your child to become settled, happy and safe
Are responsible for your child ’s care, development and learning
Take a careful note of your child’s progress, sharing ideas to help your child at home and in nursery.

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You will be able to get information about your child’s development at any time through TAPESTRY (online record of your child’s learning and development journey).

We will complete an All About Me when your child starts and then record and share observations on how your child is progressing through their time with us. The key person will then evaluate these and in discussions with you, develop ongoing planning to meet your child’s needs and interests. We value your input in your child’s development and encourage you to share special moments, family events and your own observations in discussions with your key person as well as through Tapestry

Your child’s key person will provide a written summary of how your child is progressing against the 3 prime areas of learning when your child starts, when they are 2 (2-year progress check) and before they go to school This check will highlight areas where your child is progressing well and any areas in which he/she might need some extra help or support – and how you and other family members or carers can work with the key person to help. You might find it useful to share the information from the check with other professionals such as health visitors (who can use it as part of the health and development review).

When your child moves on to school

We will work in partnership with you to ease the transition process form nursery to school. This will start in the final year before your child goes to school, with fun activities to prepare them for the next stage of their learning journey. We will share a summary of your child’s development with their new teacher, as part of the transition process. This will help them understand what your child really enjoys doing and does well, as well as helping them decide if your child needs extra support. We encourage you to share your knowledge about your child’s learning and development, so do let your child’s class teacher know about what your child does with you; such as how confident your child is in writing their name, reading and talking about a favourite book, speaking to people your child is not so familiar with or their understanding of numbers.