Maples Our Curriculum
Maples Nursery School and Children’s Centre aims to provide high quality care and education for all children. We know that every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. In order for children to succeed and reach their potential, all aspects of their development must be given attention. We pay attention to children's physical, personal, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, as well as cognitive aspects of learning. At Maples children learn holistically, and meaningful learning happens through play and exploration. Staff are constantly observing and listening to children’s interests, following an observation-evaluation-planning process. These observations are then used to:
i) plan stimulating indoor and outdoor activities, which allow children to explore, experiment and follow their interests and
ii) create reflective displays of children’s work and language, using ‘characteristics of effective learning’.
In planning and guiding what children learn, staff aim to reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their teaching and planning appropriately. The three characteristics of effective teaching and learning we focus on are:
• Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’.
• Active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements.
• Creating and thinking critically.
At Maples Nursery School and Children’s Centre we follow the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Alongside the statutory framework, we have adopted Birth to Five Matters, a pedagogical tool, which helps staff to interpret children’s development, learning and progress.
Maples’ philosophy and pedagogical frameworks are guided by specific principles and the 7 areas of learning focusing on communication and language that underpins all 7 areas:
Principles:
Unique Child: Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning.
Positive Relationships: Provide children a sense of belonging. Making them strong and independent through positive relationships.
Enabling Environment: Children’s learning and development are enhanced through stimulating learning areas, meaningful teaching and supportive adults.
Learning and Development: Staff recognise that children learn and develop at different rates and aim to foster the characteristics of effective learning.
Inclusive Practice: Responding to and reflecting on the needs of all children.
If you would like any further information, please follow the links below or speak to our headteacher or your child's keyworker.
We follow the Statutory Framework Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which has three prime areas for learning and four specific areas.
Prime areas:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Specific areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Forest School
We are excited at Maples to be introducing the Forest School activities for three-year-olds. Forest school is an inspiring process, a specialised approach to outdoor learning that aims to develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning in woodland environments. It has become widely used in a short space of time across the UK. It’s roots lie in early years work, Woodcraft Folk, Scouts, Scandinavian education and related to other approaches such as Reggio Emilio. Our Nursery Class Teacher, Conor, is a qualified Forest School Leader and will be starting to deliver the activities to groups of three and four-year-olds after the October half-term. All concerned parents will be invited to a workshop prior to their child starting with the Forest School activities and will be asked for consent. However, some elements of our provision, including our woodwork area, mud kitchen, planting area and our wild garden, are already available daily to all children attending Maples Nursery School. We hope to build on this fascination with nature, and associated rich and experiential learning, on a wider scale in future.