Curriculum

At Vanessa Nursery School we provide a nurturing, motivating and inspirational learning environment for children to learn. The carefully designed learning environment ensures children have endless possibilities to learn and are constantly challenged. Through child and adult led learning children can wallow in their fascinations, be creative and while being taught key skills and knowledge. We are an inclusive school and with a highly trained early years specialist staff team.

We place a strong focus on the characteristics of effective learning both when creating and when delivering our curriculum.

The EYFS has three characteristics that underpin children’s learning and development:

• Playing and exploring- children learn best when they are engaged in purposeful play and exploration.
• Active learning.
• Creating and thinking critically.

Impact

Children who have attended Vanessa Nursery School are curious about the world and eager to continue their learning journey into primary school. Children at the school make rapid progress and leave the nursery, ready for reception in school. They are able to communicate having developed a wide vocabulary and they show a willingness to continue having learnt key skills, knowledge and dispositions.

The key skills are mapped into our curriculum goals. Children develop personal and social skills in being kind and respectful to each other and they understand the difference between right and wrong. The impact of our curriculum ensures that children are prepared to be young global citizens who understand the importance of looking after the world they are growing up.

At Vanessa Nursery School we believe that a highly engaging early years curriculum consist of many layers. Read our curriculum policy.

Your child’s assessment

At Vanessa Nursery School we assess all children’s learning and development individually. These assessments help us to make sure that each child experiences the full curriculum and that provision is made for her/his particular development and educational needs.

We do this by making observations and taking photographs of the children whilst they are playing and learning. We then assess their learning and development to identify the next step they need to continue making progress. We share this with you on the Famly App.

We meet with Parents/Carers every term to discuss and celebrate children’s progress and share next steps. In your child’s final term before moving on to reception class, you will receive a written report which will be discussed at your last Parents/Carers meeting. This will also be shared with the receiving class teacher so that they know what your child has been learning while at Nursery.

SEND

Vanessa Nursery School is an inclusive maintained nursery school that seeks to meet the needs of all children in the local area. Some children may be identified as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) will liaise with families, teaching staff and outside professionals, such as the Educational Psychologist (EP) to assess a child’s needs and progress; and to ensure the correct support and provision is in place.

Children with SEND will often have their own individualised learning programme to support different areas of development where there might be more challenge. This does not mean that they do not access the full curriculum that is on offer for all children. This is adapted so that all children can access the curriculum at their own starting point.

On occasion, some children with SEND may require additional adult support, this is only put in place once additional funding has been sought from the local authority.

To read more about our full SEND offer please refer to the SEND Policy and information record.