Our Learning
At St Barnabas Nursery, we believe every child is unique and deserves the very best start to their learning journey. We provide a warm, nurturing and stimulating environment where children feel safe, valued and inspired to learn through play. Our curriculum is carefully designed to build children's knowledge, skills and understanding through a range of meaningful experiences that reflect their interests, developmental needs and prior experiences. Through a balance of adult-led teaching and child-initiated learning, we foster curiosity, independence, resilience and a lifelong love of learning. We recognise that young children learn best through active exploration, hands-on experiences and high-quality interactions, and we support every child to flourish, grow in confidence and ‘let their light shine’.
Children learn across the seven areas of learning:
Prime Areas
- Communication and Language
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
These areas are woven throughout our daily provision, indoor and outdoor environments, and carefully planned learning opportunities.
Learning Through Play
Play is at the heart of our Nursery curriculum. Through carefully planned play experiences, children explore, investigate and make sense of the world around them. They develop their language and communication skills, build friendships, solve problems and become confident, independent learners. Our continuous provision allows children to revisit, practise and extend their learning throughout the day.
Communication and Language
Communication and language underpin all areas of learning. Through stories, songs, nursery rhymes, meaningful conversations and high-quality interactions with adults, children develop their listening, understanding and speaking skills. We place a strong emphasis on vocabulary development, helping children gain the confidence to express their ideas, thoughts and experiences.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
Developing happy, confident and independent learners is at the heart of our Nursery curriculum. Through play, daily routines and positive relationships, children learn to make friends, share, take turns, understand their feelings and show kindness towards others. We encourage children to build confidence, resilience and independence as they prepare for the next stage of their learning journey.
Physical Development (PD)
Children are provided with a wide range of opportunities to develop both their gross and fine motor skills. Through activities such as climbing, balancing, running, mark making, painting and using tools, children develop coordination, control and strength. We also support children in developing independence through self-care routines and healthy lifestyle habits.
Literacy
We are passionate about developing a love of reading from the very beginning. Through daily stories, nursery rhymes, songs and mark-making opportunities, children develop their language, communication and early literacy skills. Language-rich experiences and Phase 1 phonics activities provide strong foundations for future reading and writing.
Mathematics
Children develop their mathematical understanding through practical play and everyday experiences. They explore numbers, counting, patterns, shape and measure through songs, stories, games and investigations, helping them to build confidence and enjoyment in mathematics.
Understanding the World (UW)
Children are encouraged to explore and make sense of the world around them. Through first-hand experiences, outdoor learning, celebrations and discussions, they learn about people, places, nature and their local community, developing curiosity and a sense of wonder.
Expressive Arts and Design (EAD)
Children are encouraged to express their ideas and creativity through art, music, dance, role play and imaginative play. They explore a range of materials and experiences, developing their confidence, creativity and imagination while having fun and expressing themselves in unique ways.
Outdoor Learning
Our outdoor environment is an extension of the classroom and provides daily opportunities for children to explore, investigate and learn in all weathers. Children develop their physical skills, confidence and independence whilst engaging in imaginative play, problem-solving and first-hand experiences in nature. We believe outdoor learning plays a vital role in supporting children's wellbeing, curiosity and overall development.
Characteristics of Effective Learning
We encourage children to become confident learners by developing the three Characteristics of Effective Learning:
Playing and Exploring
Children investigate, experiment and discover new things.
Active Learning
Children concentrate, persevere and take pride in their achievements.
Creating and Thinking Critically
Children develop ideas, make links and solve problems.
These characteristics help children become successful learners both now and in the future.
Characteristics of Effective Learning
We encourage children to become confident learners by developing the three Characteristics of Effective Learning:
Playing and Exploring
Children investigate, experiment and discover new things.
Active Learning
Children concentrate, persevere and take pride in their achievements.
Creating and Thinking Critically
Children develop ideas, make links and solve problems.
These characteristics help children become successful learners both now and in the future.
Our Learning Environment
We believe children learn best in a calm, inviting and well-organised environment where they feel safe, happy and confident. Our carefully planned indoor and outdoor spaces provide rich opportunities for exploration, creativity and learning across all areas of the curriculum.
- Reading
- Mark making
- Mathematics
- Small world
- Construction
- Creative arts
- Role play
- Investigation and exploration
- Physical development
- Outdoor learning
Enrichment Opportunities
We believe that memorable experiences help children develop confidence, curiosity and a love of learning. Throughout the year, children enjoy a range of enrichment opportunities that bring learning to life, including:
- Stay and Play sessions with families
- Nursery Rhyme Week activities
- Special themed days and celebrations
- Visitors to school
- Outdoor learning experiences
- Storytelling and reading events
- Community and seasonal celebrations
- Creative arts and performance opportunities
These experiences help children broaden their understanding of the world, develop new interests and create lasting memories.
