In practice this involves focusing on our children being SAFE, HAPPY and INDEPENDENT learners. We NURTURE resilience and ignite curiosity by delivering an inspiring curriculum and promoting a love of learning. We strive to equip all of our children with the confidence to have big ambitions and high expectations of themselves as they strive for EXCELLENCE. 

We have developed 6 key curriculum drivers which underpin the learning and experiences we undertake in all areas of school life. These run as a thread throughout each curriculum subject to ensure our curriculum is enriched and implemented to provide appropriate and ambitious curriculum opportunities for our children to SHINE. 

We pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible start for all of our children as we know a child’s development at this crucial stage has a fundamental impact on their happiness, school journey and shapes the young person they will become.

Our dedicated team of Early Year’s Practitioners care deeply about the children in our school and aim to form close relationships with children and families.

We treat every child as a unique individual.  Above all, we want our children to feel happy, secure and safe.  Praise, clear boundaries and our whole school consistent approach to the Rainbow Rules contribute to building confidence and resilience of our children.  We believe in praising effort and valuing the little steps that really make a difference to the children’s progress and self-esteem.

We believe that young children are intrinsically capable of amazing things and we develop this through having high expectations and promoting a strong sense of Independence. During ‘Adventure Learning Time’ the children go through the ‘Plan Do Review’ process, children make plans, carry them out, and reflect on what they have done. In doing so, children learn to take initiative, solve problems, self-regulate, and accomplish their goals - their play becomes more purposeful and focused.

We have a Nursery and a Foundation 2 Unit, we believe that we have created the best indoor learning environment possible with a variety of learning opportunities and good quality, open ended, gender neutral resources.

EYFS work as a shared team meaning that staff work across the F2 unit getting to know all of our children really well.  This allows for a shared vision of inspirational learning, greater interaction between the children and increased opportunities for shared resources and experiences. 

The EYFS environment fully supports children to be fully engaged in purposeful play of their own choice and interest.  Resources are displayed on open shelving units so they are accessible at all times enabling the children to choose where to go, what to use and how. We pay great attention to the physical environment and have a resource progression that is used to enhance the children’s experiences during continuous provision and free flow. We believe that a ‘less is more’ approach contributes to meaningful play and interactions. Our nursery and classrooms have a wide range of designated learning areas.

We are keen to promote a love of books and so books are displayed in numerous areas of the nursery and EYFS unit. These have been carefully chosen to support the children’s learning. We have a designated calm corner and cosy book area for reading, reflection, conversation or settling into the school day.

Lunch times play an important part of the school day and we encourage independence and take great care to support the children in the dining hall to make choices they are comfortable with.  We educate the children on healthy eating and provide lots of initiatives to make lunch times fun and deliver food education to support the curriculum.

Our Outdoor Foundation Areas provide wonderful opportunities, in all weathers, to play and investigate.  Here the children form relationships with others, assess risks for themselves and have the confidence and resilience to attempt challenges, having a go and trying again. The outdoor space specifically provides real outdoor learning that is bigger, louder and messier than activities that take place indoors.  It is vital that outdoor learning gives different experiences from learning in the classroom and gives the children freedom to explore, run, climb, build, investigate, make noise, move and get messy in the mud kitchen!  Here they can imagine, plan, think critically, create, construct, balance, develop ideas, work together and solve problems.

The play equipment helps build children’s gross motor skills and physical development to aid the practical skills of writing and poses challenges to build confidence and self-esteem.  Sharing equipment and space and negotiating turn taking are important skills for our children to acquire and helps develop children’s communication.

Our EYFS staff are key in providing the emotional environment that supports the children with their learning, ensuring they feel confident and independent, ready to try new things, reassured that adults can help them if necessary without taking over. As a school we follow a THRIVE approach and Take 5 to support PSED.

We follow the fascinations and interests of the children responding to the needs of individuals and real-life situations. 

We want every child to enjoy coming to school and are passionate to instil a love of learning in our children to follow them throughout the rest of their schooling here at Nettleworth.