During each day we will provide planned activities for the children indoors and out, free-flow activities, and large group work, we celebrate festivals from around the world and plan trips for the children which are underpinned by the EYFS.

Our pedagogy

• We believe children are powerful learners, every child can make progress in their learning, with the right help
• We believe effective pedagogy is a mix of different approaches.  Children learn through play, by adults modelling, by observing each other and through guided learning and direct teaching.
• Our practitioners carefully organise enabling environments for high-quality play.  Sometimes, they make time and space available for children to invent their own play, Sometimes, they join in to sensitively support and extend children’s learning.
• Children in the early years also learn through group work, when practitioners guide their learning.
• Older children need more of this guided learning.
• A well-planned learning environment, indoors and outside, is an important aspect of pedagogy.

At Buckles and Bows Pre-School Nursery we want to give the children in our setting the freedom, ability and encouragement to learn across all seven areas of learning, we offer a wide and diverse range of activities.

1. Communication and Language:

  – Importance: Communication skills are fundamental for expressing needs, sharing ideas, and building relationships.

  – Implementation: We encourage storytelling, puppetry, and language-rich activities like singing, rhyming, nursery rhymes and storytelling to develop vocabulary, listening, and speaking skills.

2. Personal, Social and Emotional Development:

  – Importance: Fosters self-awareness, empathy, and social skills crucial for forming positive relationships.

  – Implementation: Through group activities, small group focus time, and role-playing scenarios, children learn to express their feelings, resolve conflicts, and collaborate with peers.

3. Physical Development:

  – Importance: Enhances gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and physical well-being.

  – Implementation: We provide ample opportunities for outdoor play, sensory experiences, and structured activities like dance, yoga, and obstacle courses to develop physical abilities. We develop fine motor skills by offering activities to build strength in hands and wrists, squeezing, pinching and twisting, as well as their hand-eye coordination, through the use of finger gym activities.

4. Literacy:

  – Importance: We lay the foundation for reading and writing, fostering a love for literature and language.

  – Implementation: We offer a print-rich environment with books, labels, and writing materials. We engage children in storytelling and letter recognition games, talking about books, seeing print in the environment, early mark making and writing, as well as sharing books and reading, we support activities with mark making tools, pads and paper and we support reading by ensuring books are available in different areas in the nursery.

5. Mathematics:

  – Importance: Develops numeracy skills, problem-solving abilities, and logical thinking.

  – Implementation: We use manipulatives, puzzles, and games to explore counting, shapes, patterns, and measurements. We encourage mathematical thinking through real-life scenarios, shopping with money, building with blocks, counting out their snacks, going on number hunts.  We offer activities which encourage the use of creating and noticing simple patterns. We take maths outside incorporating nature, counting leaves, petals, cones in the mud kitchen.

6. Understanding the World:

  – Importance: Cultivates curiosity, critical thinking, and appreciation for the world around them.

  – Implementation: We provide hands-on experiences with nature, technology, and cultural artifacts. We encourage exploration through experiments and discussions about different cultures and traditions.

7. Expressive Arts and Design:

  – Importance: We like to stimulate creativity, imagination, and self-expression.

  – Implementation: By offering a variety of art materials, musical instruments, and dramatic play props. We encourage children to express themselves through painting, creating, music, dance, and imaginative play. We ensure the children create through their own ideas not mass production, selecting media and materials from the art trolley. Having the freedom to use the musical instruments on a daily basis. We  inspire the children through role play areas set up and using their lead.

We ignite Curiosity and Thriving:

– Create a stimulating environment with open-ended materials, inquiry-based learning opportunities, and space for exploration.

– Encourage questioning, experimentation, and problem-solving to fuel children’s natural curiosity and love for learning.

We Develop Existing and Complex Skills:

– We observe each child’s interests, strengths, and areas for growth to tailor learning experiences accordingly.

– We Scaffold learning by building on existing skills, gradually introducing more complex concepts and challenges.

Guiding Learning Through Characteristics of Learning:

– Recognize and value each child’s unique learning style, preferences, and strengths.

– Foster curiosity, resilience, independence, and creativity through personalized guidance and support.

We Promote British Fundamental Values and Cultural Capital:

– Integrate British values such as democracy, tolerance, and respect into daily routines and discussions.

– Provide opportunities to explore diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives to enrich children’s understanding and appreciation of the world.

Inspiring Learning Through Relationships:

– Establish strong partnerships with families, valuing their input and involving them in their child’s learning journey. Encouraging shared experiences through the tapestry and parents meetings.

– Build trusting relationships with children, tapping into their interests and experiences to spark curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

Most importantly we remember every child is unique and we adapt our learning experiences to their individual needs.