What Children in Nursery are Learning This Term. 

Curriculum Letters:

Curriculum letters explain in detail what the children in Nursery are learning this term: 

"Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child's experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances." 

Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage 2020 

Our EYFS curriculum is broad and varied, aiming to follow the fascinations of our children while using the Chris Quigley EYFS curriculum companion as a foundation for learning.  We are passionate about children enjoying each day by engaging with and leading their own learning. Every child is an exceptional individual and we celebrate and respect differences within our school community. The ability to learn is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills knowledge and values that equips our children for their future successes.

At St Mary's we aim to:

• Provide a balanced curriculum, based on the EYFS, across the seven curriculum areas, using play as the vehicle for learning;  
• Recognise children's prior learning and experiences;
• Build resilience through our 'Growth Mindset' approach and become critical and creative thinkers;
• We pride ourselves on providing purposeful, enticing and well planned indoor and outdoor environments which supports learning in all areas of the curriculum and that prepare our children to meet Early Learning goals at the end of the Foundation Stage.
• Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.  
• We provide early intervention for those children who require additional support;  
• Work in partnership with parents and carers;  
• Plan challenging learning experiences, based on the individual child, informed by observation and assessment and by the children’s own ideas and interests;  
• Provide opportunities for children to engage in activities that are adult-initiated, child-initiated and adult supported;  
• Provide a secure and safe learning environment indoors and outdoors. 

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework is organised into seven areas of learning:

The Prime Areas:

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

The Specific Areas:

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

The full Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage can be accessed here: 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974907/EYFS_framework_-_March_2021.pdf

To support our curriculum planning, we also use Birth to Five Matters. This is non-statutory guidance, which can be accessed here: 
https://birthto5matters.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Birthto5Matters-download.pdf