Our Curriculum

In our nursery and pre‑school, children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. This national framework sets the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. It ensures that every child receives high‑quality early education that supports them to grow, thrive and develop a lifelong love of learning.

What children learn in EYFS

The EYFS curriculum is organised into seven areas of learning:

• Prime Areas
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

These areas build the foundations for all future learning. They focus on developing children’s confidence, wellbeing, communication skills and physical abilities.

Our approach is rooted in play, curiosity and meaningful experiences. We create an environment where children feel safe, confident and excited to explore the world around them.

Specific Areas

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design
  
  

These areas broaden children’s experiences and help them develop early skills in reading, writing, number, creativity and understanding the wider world. We weave these areas into every part of our day—through play, stories, outdoor learning, creative activities and high‑quality interactions with adults.

Development matters: Guiding children’s progress

We use Development Matters, the non‑statutory guidance that supports the EYFS, to help us understand how children learn and what they need next. Development Matters:

• Helps us recognise typical stages of development
• Supports us in planning meaningful, engaging activities
• Encourages a focus on how children learn, not just what they learn
• Ensures we meet each child’s individual needs and interests
• Promotes a balanced approach to child‑initiated play and adult‑guided learning.

Rather than ticking off checklists, we use Development Matters to build a rich picture of each child—what they enjoy, what they can do and how we can help them take their next steps.

Learning that feels natural and exciting

Children learn best when they are deeply engaged, curious and having fun. That’s why our curriculum includes:

• Hands‑on exploration indoors and outdoors
• Opportunities to follow their own interests
• High‑quality interactions with skilled practitioners
• A language‑rich environment full of stories, songs and conversation
• Planned enhancements linked to themes, seasons and children’s ideas
  
  

Every experience—from building in the construction area to sharing a story in the garden—supports children’s development across the EYFS.

Working together with families

We believe that parents and carers are children’s first and most important educators. We work closely with families to share progress, celebrate achievements and support learning at home. Together, we help each child build strong foundations for school and beyond.

Our long‑term curriculum plans: Purposeful, progressive and child‑centred

Our nursery and pre‑school follow carefully designed long‑term curriculum plans that ensure children experience a broad, balanced and meaningful range of learning opportunities across the year. These plans are rooted in the EYFS and guided by Development Matters, helping us sequence learning in a way that feels natural, engaging and developmentally appropriate. Each term is shaped around themes, seasonal changes and children’s emerging interests, allowing us to introduce new vocabulary, concepts and experiences in a purposeful way. Our long‑term plans ensure progression from nursery into pre‑school and onwards into Reception, giving children the strong foundations they need while still allowing plenty of room for curiosity, exploration and child‑led learning.

Nursery OverviewPre-school Overview
If you would like to see how our themes, learning opportunities and progression are mapped out across the year, you can click the link above to view our Nursery and Pre‑School Long‑Term Curriculum Plans. These documents give families a clear overview of the experiences children will enjoy each term and how we build skills and knowledge in a structured, meaningful way. They also show how our curriculum responds to children’s interests while ensuring strong preparation for Reception and beyond.