Nursery Curriculum
Vision
Excellence achieved through care, creativity and challenge.
Intent
Our Nursery curriculum is based on the ‘Curiosity Corner – Success for All Foundation’. The majority of our pupils join us with underdeveloped experiences, limited vocabulary and restricted opportunities as well as showing delayed interactions with their peers. Curiosity Corner supports our pupils to expand their vocabulary, build knowledge and skills that they remember long term and develop their PSED skills. We teach children to apply their knowledge and skills with increasing fluency and independence and begin to make links in their learning.
Implementation
Nursery
This is the first setting many of our pupils have attended. We have three intakes a year and cater for eligible 2 year olds, 3 year olds and children who will be transitioning in to reception. We run a 1:13 ratio (for 3 and 4 year olds) and 1:5 ratio for 2 year olds. We offer finish times of 2:30 or 3:30 and a variety of lunch options to support our full-time families.
Curriculum - Curiosity Corner
Our curriculum is taught through carefully sequenced weekly themes which are explored through a combination of daily shared carpet sessions, adult-led activity time and child-initiated learning time. Daily Curiosity carpet sessions explore new vocabulary and key questions that Curiosity Cat poses. Adult-led activity time provides the opportunity to explore our theme in more detail in smaller, guided groups, where knowledge and skills are taught from the whole curriculum. Teaching focuses on the prime areas of development to close those gaps with a particular focus around C&L and PSED. Child initiated learning time takes place both indoors and outside with the opportunity for pupils to explore a range of learning that supports teaching points in the themes. Teaching builds progressively over the week and pupils are supported to reflect on their learning and to make links between current and previously taught concepts. Adaptations are made to teaching and activities to ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum in a way that is meaningful to them. Weekly theme letters, knowledge organisers and theme vocabulary are sent home to share with parents/carers. Vocabulary is progressive from nursery into reception. Opportunities for pupils to revisit previously taught knowledge are exploited.
Impact
Pupils’ starting points are identified through baseline assessments. The 2 year progress check is completed for all 2 year olds entering nursery and these checks are shared with parents. Outcomes from these baseline assessments/ 2 year progress checks, are then used to inform planning and ensure the curriculum closely matches pupils’ needs. Teachers use interleaved learning to help pupils embed and use knowledge fluently and to check understanding. Ongoing observations and termly assessments help to inform future planning and teaching. Children transition into Reception being more age appropriate and with characteristics that enable them to be school ready.
Enhancements
Parents are welcomed in to the classroom every Friday to explore the new labs with their children and give them the opportunity to talk to members of staff.
Evidence is collected in personalised folders which is shared during parent consultation drop ins.
Weekly PE sessions with a specialist PE coach
Intervention timetable including: sensory circuits, Attention Autism, Play Circles, Touch and Taste
Speech and language TA offering 1:1 support and small group work.
