Nursery
A happy, nurturing start to school
At Norbury Manor Primary School, we believe that children learn best when they feel happy, safe, secure and valued. From the moment children join our Nursery, building positive relationships and a strong sense of belonging is at the heart of our approach.
We describe this as “teaching as affective in being effective” – recognising that children’s emotional wellbeing, relationships and sense of security provide the foundations for successful learning.
Parents and carers are important partners in this journey. We value strong relationships between home and school and work closely with families to help every child settle, develop confidence and thrive.
Making Every Moment Count
Our school motto, “Leaders today, learners tomorrow – make every moment count,” begins in Nursery. Everyday routines are carefully planned so that children are continually developing their communication, independence, confidence and understanding.
For example, morning routines provide opportunities for children to recognise their names, develop early mark-making and fine motor skills, take turns and interact positively with their friends. Registration can also become an opportunity to explore counting, number recognition and concepts such as one more and one less.
Children are supported through practical resources, visual prompts, modelling and repetition so that learning is accessible to everyone. This reflects our inclusive whole-school approach of identifying children's needs early and adapting provision so that all children can participate and succeed. This is particularly important within current national expectations for inclusive mainstream education, which emphasise early identification, adaptive teaching and supportive learning environments.
Our Nursery Day
Nursery combines carefully planned adult-led teaching with purposeful learning through play. Children take part in daily teaching across key areas including:
- phonics and early literacy
- communication and language
- mathematics
- personal, social and emotional development
- music and creative learning
- physical development
- understanding the world
Children then have opportunities to practise, explore and extend what they have learned through our indoor and outdoor continuous provision.
This establishes the foundations for the approach children experience as they progress through Norbury Manor.
I DO – WE DO – YOU DO
Our Nursery teaching reflects our whole-school I DO, WE DO, YOU DO approach.
I DO – Adults model:
Children watch, listen and join in as adults explicitly introduce and model new knowledge, vocabulary and skills.
WE DO – We practise together:
Adults work alongside children individually or in small groups, providing prompts, questions, modelling and support.
YOU DO – Children apply:
Children are given opportunities to independently practise, explore and apply their learning through purposeful continuous provision.
This balance of direct teaching, guided practice and independent exploration enables children to develop the knowledge and skills they need while retaining the curiosity, creativity and play that are so important in the early years.
Early Reading and Phonics
We believe that strong foundations in communication, language and early reading open the door to the rest of the curriculum.
Children begin developing their phonological awareness and early phonics knowledge from the start of Nursery. We use Read Write Inc., providing continuity with the phonics programme children will experience as they progress through the school.
Teaching is carefully matched to children’s developmental stages. Children develop their listening and attention, oral blending, vocabulary and sound awareness before progressing to recognising sounds, blending sounds to read words and using their developing phonics knowledge to support early writing.
Through stories, rhymes, songs, conversation and high-quality interactions with adults, children also develop the vocabulary and language they need to become confident communicators, readers and writers.
Mathematics in Nursery
Our Nursery mathematics reflects our whole-school approach while remaining developmentally appropriate for young children.
Children develop a secure understanding of number, pattern, shape, space and measure through practical experiences, mathematical talk, stories, songs and purposeful play.
We use a concrete, pictorial and abstract (CPA) approach. Children first experience mathematical ideas using real objects and practical resources before representing their thinking through pictures, images and, when appropriate, numerals and mathematical symbols.
Adults model mathematical vocabulary and encourage children to explain what they notice, make connections and solve problems. Mathematics is not confined to a single lesson – opportunities to count, compare, measure, notice patterns and solve problems are woven throughout the Nursery day.
Communication, Language and Inclusion
Communication and language sit at the heart of our Nursery curriculum. Adults deliberately model and extend vocabulary, encourage conversation and provide children with frequent opportunities to listen, speak, explain, question and retell.
We recognise that children enter Nursery with different experiences, strengths and starting points. Our environment and teaching are therefore adapted to enable every child to participate, communicate and succeed.
Where children require additional support, needs are identified early and appropriate strategies are put in place. This reflects the national direction towards early, inclusive support for children with additional needs rather than waiting for formal diagnosis before responding.
Creativity and the Wider Curriculum
Children experience a rich and varied curriculum that encourages curiosity, creativity and exploration. They are given opportunities to learn about themselves, other people and the world around them through carefully planned experiences both indoors and outdoors.
Children enjoy art, music, singing, stories, imaginative play, physical activity, construction, investigation and exploration of the natural world. These experiences provide meaningful opportunities for children to develop their vocabulary, express their ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively with others.
Our continuous provision is carefully designed to encourage children to explore, investigate, create and make choices independently, while adults extend learning through high-quality interactions, questioning and modelling.
Through the wider curriculum, children build confidence, independence and curiosity while developing the knowledge and skills that provide strong foundations for their learning as they move through the school.
Preparing Children for Their Next Steps
Our aim is for children to leave Nursery as happy, confident and increasingly independent learners who are excited about what comes next.
We want children to be able to communicate their ideas, build positive relationships, manage increasingly complex routines, persevere when something is difficult and approach new learning with curiosity.
Most importantly, Nursery is not simply preparation for Reception. It is an important stage of education in its own right – one in which children should feel that they belong, are listened to and are capable of achieving.
Helping Your Child Settle into Nursery
Starting Nursery is an exciting milestone, but we understand that every child settles at their own pace. We work closely with parents and carers to help children feel safe, happy and confident as they become familiar with their new routines and environment.
You can help your child prepare for Nursery by:
- talking positively about starting Nursery and what they might enjoy;
- encouraging them to practise simple routines such as putting on their coat, washing their hands and tidying away;
- supporting independence with eating, drinking and using the toilet;
- sharing stories, songs and conversations together every day;
- helping them recognise their own name;
- encouraging them to make choices, take turns and communicate what they need;
- establishing regular bedtime and morning routines so they are ready for the Nursery day.
Please do not worry if your child cannot do all of these things when they start. Children arrive at Nursery with different experiences and at different stages of development. Our role is to work in partnership with you, build from your child's starting points and help them develop these skills over time.
