Curriculum & Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The EYFS is the national framework for learning, development and care for children from birth to five.

Play is vital for children, and it is through play that babies and young children learn, grow and have fun.  It helps them understand the world and to develop socially and emotionally.  Singing songs, reading together, playing games with letters and numbers and having fun with friends gives them a head start.  It also helps their confidence and helps them become independent.

All children should be able to play and learn in a fun environment with adults who understand and care about them.   As parents you should feel confident about leaving your child at Small World Nurseries Ltd.

We look carefully at the children in our care, and think about what their needs are, their interests, their stage of development and use all this information to help plan a challenging and enjoyable curriculum.

The EYFS sets out six learning areas which are:

  • Personal, social and emotional development
  • Communication, language and literacy
  • Knowledge and understanding of the world
  • Physical development
  • Creative development
  • Problem solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

Each of these areas has a set of learning objectives that progress towards early learning goals, for which each of the Childcare practitioners co-ordinate planned activities to help meet the diverse needs of each child, so that they are well prepared for when they start school. Learning is encouraged through play and includes activities to involve each area.

The EYFS has been developed with Parents, Carers, Early Years and Childcare Providers and academics.  It brings together their experience in a clear, straightforward way.  The child is at the centre of the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The people working with your child will pick up on their interests and abilities and build on them through play.

They will think, for instance, about fun ways to help the children develop their language skills; about what will encourage their creativity; about how they will tackle small challenges.  All the while, they will make sure that each child in their care is getting the support they need and above all is enjoying and achieving.

It is the sort of approach that is second nature to the staff at Small world Nurseries Ltd.

Partnership with Parents

Small World Nurseries Ltd recognises that you will always be the most important influence in your child’s life.  Getting involved and talking to your child’s key-worker or key person at nursery, helps the staff get to know your child.

By knowing your child, the staff can pick up on what you’ve told them and link it to what they do during their time together.  Also, it works both ways – by finding out what’s caught your child’s imagination at nursery, you can build on that at home too.  The nursery staff will support you in doing this.

Your Child’s Progress

Each child will have an individual file containing information on their development.  Your child’s file is available for you to view at any time.  It will tell you what your child is learning, how they are developing, what their interests are and how the staff build on these.  It will also contain photographs and staff observations.

The nursery will hold regular parent’s evenings to provide you with the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with his/her key-worker.

It is important to us that we understand as much about your child and a typical week in his / her life as possible.  For example if a new baby has joined the family at the weekend or your child always spends the weekend at Grandma’s, knowing this will help us understand why your child may be a little more tired than usual on Monday.  We can then allow for this and adapt the child’s routine and activities to suit his / her individual needs for that day.

The comments that you make to staff about your child are therefore very important and staff will make a note of these.

Within the general curriculum at Small World Nurseries, the children can enjoy the following activities:

  • Spanish- this is available to pre-school age children, and the weekly 1/2 hour session is given by a qualified Spanish teacher.
  • Sign language for hearing babies, used to promote language from an early age and enable children to communicate before speech develops.
  • Heuristic play- play using natural materials.

The nurseries have their own libraries, so that children can borrow a book of their choice to take home to share with parents.