Curriculum

At West Rise Nursery we are committed to offering quality care and provision for every child. We have a strong pedagogy focusing on a play based curriculum and catering for individual children interests.

We follow 'Development Matters' for both planning and assessment, (catering for stage related learning).

The Characteristics of Effective Learning providing an encouraging environment is crucial in the Early Years. The environments both indoors and outdoors support high quality learning experiences and provides opportunities for our children to become true independent learners.

We ensure observation and practices inform our planning and provision. Creating plans for inspiring and meaningful learning experiences for every child based on their own fascinations and needs. We plan provision for every area of learning, the three prime areas and the four specific areas. At West Rise Nursery we work closely with parents and carers valuing them as true partners in learning.

Our passionate nursery practitioners value and celebrate each child’s uniqueness and this is evident in the wonderful learning journeys they produce.

EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE CURRICULUM

At West Rise Nursery we offer a meaningful curriculum for the children which promotes learning in the following areas of the EYFS framework.

The EYFS is split into four threads:

• Unique Child
• Positive Relationships
• Enabling Environments
• Learning and Development

The weaving of these threads are integral to a child’s development and underpin the activities, routines and learning at Nursery.

There are seven key areas of learning that make up the EYFS (and these are integral to planning at nursery) these are three prime areas and four specific areas:

PRIME AREAS

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

SPECIFIC AREAS

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

If you would like more information about the Early Years Foundation Stage please click HERE to read our Early Years Foundation Policy.

Communication and Language

We ensure our children experience a range of stories, rhymes and songs to develop their listening and attention skills. All children’s responses are valued and praised and thinking is developed by skillful questioning from the adults in our setting. Our staff/team are wonderful at modelling play with the children and ‘being a thinker’ which encourages the children to discuss their ideas and thoughts in the same way. (Children’s understanding is developed through planned activities based on their interests and passions). Our planning includes regularly changing small world play and role plays based on topics, books and children’s interests to stimulate acting, playing a role and using story language in play to develop a narrative.

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Personal, Social and Emotional Development

We are a Wellbeing First nursery and all that we do in respect of this supports development in the children’s personal, social and emotional development.

Within this area of learning children develop relationships, their self-confidence and behaviours. At West Rise Nursery we encourage positive relationship building and plan support for children to make friends. Our nursery staff model being a considerate and responsive partner in interactions to support children in their learning. Children at West Rise Nursery are actively encouraged to try new activities and test out ideas and resources both independently and with adult support. We believe in a 'Learning to manage myself' policy and this is reflected in our nursery.

Physical Development

At West Rise Nursery the children have so many opportunities to explore physical development. They benefit from small group teaching of ‘Balanceability’ to use a balance bike, they have access to outdoors for physical play during each session.

We are lucky enough to have use of the School Hall during the week for PE activities such as throwing and catching, balancing, using apparatus and parachute games.

Snack and lunchtime is used to support health and selfcare as well an opportunity to talk about healthy choices of food and drink.

Cooking opportunities such as healthy apple and pear oats crumble etc.

‍Literacy

At West Rise Nursery the children engage in as many opportunities as possible to share stories, songs and rhymes with adults, peers and independently. We regularly use story sacks to support the retelling of familiar stories through role –play (puppets). The nursery presents as a print rich environment where a love of books is fostered.

The children work in groups with their keyworkers for their phonic sessions, we use letters and sounds with Jolly Phonics to engage children in this learning.

Children are encouraged to use mark making materials during their play indoors and outdoors, both large and small scale and refine these skills to become independent writers.

Mathematics

Maths is everywhere and maths is fun – this is a central belief for us at West Rise Nursery. Our children are encouraged to play with numbers through songs and rhymes. We ensure our children are provided with opportunities to practice their number skills independently by solving practical problems such as setting the right number of places at the table during role play or by helping the grown-up, getting ready for snack time, prepare the right number of plates of fruit.

Understanding the World

The children come from many different backgrounds and we celebrate each and every one for the uniqueness that is ‘me’. We encourage parents and carers to come and speak to the children about their religions and beliefs and share stories of festivals and events they have within their cultures. Our children benefit from a wide exposure to other cultures from around the world.

Festivities

At West Rise Nursery we celebrate many different festivities during the course of the year such as:

Chinese New Year, Christmas, Diwali, Easter, Fathers Day, Harvest, Mothers Day and Shrove Tuesday.

We also welcome suggestions of cultural celebrations which we can include in nursery. At West Rise Nursery we believe that in addition to trying to make everyday fun at our nursery, one off events or visitors can make a day in nursery extra special.

Our nursery has had visits by a Policeman and a Nurse and we recently went to the Cinema to see the 'Gruffalo' and 'Snail on a Whale'.

We love to be outside and we encourage the children to dig for mini-beasts and explore nature.

The children have access to Ipads and computers.

Expressive Art and Design

As a creative environment, West Rise Nursery has a wide range of creative materials which children can access independently during their play and also in focused sessions.

Musical instruments

Artelier art/process art

Role play, small world play

Construction activities lego/building blocks etc.

The best way to find out more about us is to come and visit! Simply call us on 01323-764062 or email: office@westriseinf.e-sussex.sch.uk to make an appointment.