Hello and welcome to our nursery at St Oswald's

Our Curriculum overview 

At St Oswald's nursery, we provide a rich, play based curriculum that supports every child's development and uniqueness, preparing them confidently for their transition into reception. Our curriculum is rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and is carefully designed to meet the individual needs, interests and next steps of each child. 

Objective led planning and continuous provision

Our curriculum is developed through objective led planning, with clear learning intentions drawn from the EYFS. These objectives are thoughtfully embedded within our consonous provision, allowing children to revisit, practice and deepen their learning through play. Practitioners carefully observe children, respond to their interests and adapt the environment to support progress.

Focused Learning Times 

Alongside child - initiated play, we offer short, focused, adult led sessions including:

Daily phonics - Supporting early communication, listening skills and sound awareness. 

Maths time - Developing early number, shape, pattern, measure and problem solving skills. 

Guided reading - Where children are introduced to books to develop early reading skills, comprehension, vocabulary and the love of stories. 

Key person time - To build secure relationships with our key children and focus on next steps.

Child - Led Indoor and Outdoor Play

Children are given the freedom to choose whether they play indoors or outdoors for parts of the day. This supports independence, motivation and well - being.  

Physical development and Outdoor Learning 

Physical development is a key part of our curriculum. Children regularly:

• Take part in PE sessions in the school hall, developing coordination, balance and movement skills.
• Use the playground to access bikes, scooters and large scale play equipment. 
• Engage in forest school sessions, promoting resilience, teamwork, problem solving and a strong connection with nature. 

Learning through play and exploration

We believe that children learn best through active, hands - on experiences. Our curriculum values exploration, creativity and play, enabling children to become confident, curious learners who are well prepared for the next stage in their education.