Little Acorns follows the curriculum guidelines for the Early Years Foundation Stage as set out by the Department for Education in order to promote children’s learning.

Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. The care and education offered by our setting helps children to continue to do this by providing all of the children with interesting activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

For each area, the practice guidance sets out the Early Learning Goals. These goals state what is expected that children will know and be able to do by the end of the reception year of their education.

The curriculum is very much based on learning through play. Little Acorns plans from the children’s interests, to enable them to be fully involved in all that they do. We have a child led approach to learning and operate a free flow approach to indoor and outdoor play, in this way all the children are able to pursue their current learning needs.

Staff record daily observations on the children, and these form part of our learning journals. These books are a two way conversation between nursery and home, and we actively encourage parents to give us as much as information as possible on their child. In this way we can ensure that we are both meeting and extending the children’s learning.

Two year olds start in the caterpillar room where their key person sets up learning activities through play, based on the children’s current interests or of their choosing. Once three, they move up to the butterfly room, where they stay until they leave for school. In this room we still follow the children’s interests when planning activities, along with a more structured routine in preparation for school.

On a daily basis the children participate in group activities as “hello time” where we use Makaton to sign “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”. The children also take part in circle times, where we talk about current issues or themes, and throughout the sessions all children are able to access individual activities as well as small group work.

We start a transition period every year, the term before the children go to school. This is where, depending on the school, the children go and spend time in their new classroom and have a chance to get to know the teachers.