About
The team
At our Nursery, we are proud to have a strong, dedicated team of qualified and experienced early years professionals who are committed to providing high-quality care, education and support for every child.
Sarah, our Nursery Director, holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management and provides strategic leadership and oversight for the Nursery. Hannah, our Nursery Manager, is a qualified Early Years Teacherand leads the day-to-day running of the Nursery, ensuring that children receive the highest standards of care, learning and support.
Hannah is supported by Emily, our Deputy Manager, and Anny, our Assistant Manager, who work closely with the wider team to ensure the Nursery runs smoothly each day.
Our team also includes our highly valued Level 3 Early Years Educators – Lucy, Shreeya, Vicki and Sky. Together, our team brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to our Nursery, creating a warm, nurturing and stimulating environment where children can learn, grow and thrive.
The safety and wellbeing of the children in our care is always our priority. All members of our team are trained in Paediatric First Aid, ensuring that we have appropriately trained staff available to respond confidently should a child require first aid.
Sarah
Director and DSL
Hannah
Nursery Manager & DSL
Our Curriculum – Learning Through Play
At West Walton Nursery School our primary purpose is for children to feel happy, safe and secure at our Nursery. Our mission statement includes our commitment to “help children develop into happy, confident, young people and give them the best foundation for lifelong learning.”
Our approach focuses on children being happy and enjoying their time at nursery and preschool. We have developed our approach to child development which captures the interest of each child or group of children in the present moment. Young children have a natural desire to learn, explore and question. We offer an environment that enables child-initiated play to capture the moment of engagement. Opportunities to seize the moment when a child shows interest in an activity can be built upon the need to be recognised.
How we plan for children’s learning
The Early Years Foundation Stage states:
“Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development for each child in their care and must use this information to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences for each child in all areas of learning and development.”
At West Walton Nursery School, our curriculum reflects our belief that every child is unique. We get to know each child as an individual, recognising their interests, strengths, experiences and individual learning needs. We work closely in partnership with parents and carers to support each child’s learning and development, helping them to achieve their full potential.
Learning Through Play
Young children learn best through a wonderful mix of play, exploration, hands-on experiences and meaningful interactions. Our highly skilled practitioners have a strong understanding of child development and use every opportunity throughout the day to support children’s learning.
Our curriculum is brought to life through:
- Child-led play and exploration
- High-quality continuous provision
- Positive interactions with skilled adults
- Direct teaching and focused learning experiences
- Opportunities to revisit, practise and extend learning
- Real-life experiences and opportunities beyond the nursery
Learning happens throughout the day – through the resources children choose, the conversations they have, the experiences they take part in and the carefully planned interactions with adults.
Inspiring Environments and Continuous Provision
Our playrooms provide inviting, accessible and familiar spaces that encourage children to return to their ideas, repeat experiences and build on what they already know.
We carefully select high-quality resources that reflect children’s interests and natural curiosity while also having a clear learning purpose. Children are encouraged to investigate, experiment, problem-solve and develop their own ideas.
By providing opportunities for children to revisit, repeat and extend their learning, we support children to develop confidence, independence and mastery.
Developing Independent Learners
We want children to become confident, capable and independent learners who have a voice in their own learning.
Resources are carefully organised and made accessible to children so that they can make choices and lead their own play. We value and celebrate our resources, presenting them in ways that encourage children to explore and learn.
We also use the environment to support incidental learning. For example, labels, signs, symbols and visual prompts help children develop early literacy and numeracy skills naturally as part of their everyday experiences.
Curiosity, Creativity and New Learning
Alongside our continuous provision, we create areas of curiosity and carefully planned enhancements to inspire children and introduce new learning.
These enhancements provide opportunities to:
- Enrich children’s language and vocabulary
- Deepen understanding
- Encourage curiosity and investigation
- Introduce new experiences and ideas
- Revisit and embed previous learning
- Apply learning in new and different contexts
Our practitioners use their knowledge of each child to know when to step in, when to extend learning and when to allow children the time and space to explore independently.
Learning Beyond the Nursery
We believe children benefit enormously from experiencing the wider world around them. Throughout their time at West Walton Nursery School, we provide a variety of enriching experiences that help children develop their knowledge, confidence and understanding of the world.
These may include music experiences, visits and trips, exploring our local community, visits to places of interest, community links and opportunities to meet and learn from people in the wider community.
These experiences help children develop essential knowledge and understanding while creating special memories and experiences that they can carry with them as they grow.
Working in Partnership with Families
Parents and carers are a child’s first and most important educators. We value the knowledge that families bring and work closely with parents to understand each child’s experiences, interests, development and individual needs.
Together, we create a supportive learning journey that gives every child the opportunity to learn, grow, explore, develop their confidence and achieve their best.