EYFS - The principles that guide our work at Paws Nursery School are grouped into four themes taken from the EYFS Framework; a unique child, positive relationships, enabling environments, learning and development. The curriculum then consists of seven areas of learning and development.
Three core areas form the base of each child’s learning; ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development’, ‘Communication and Language’, ‘Physical Development’. Once secure in these core areas, children then go on to develop in four specific areas; ‘Mathematics’, ‘Literacy’, ‘Understanding the World’, ‘Expressive Arts and Design’.
We explore ourselves, each other, and our families. We research different cultures and places in the world throughout the year. We investigate objects, resources, and their properties through child led play and adult led guidance. We use the children’s interests and curiosities to develop different topics each year. This ensures the curriculum is broad, diverse, balanced, and most importantly stimulating for all children in our care.

PLANNING - During independent learning, we are able to encompass new ideas and thoughts there and then, in the moment. In the moment planning allows staff to harness teachable moments and use these to their advantage. Having continuous provision in our environment allows both staff and children to have resources they need at their fingertips. In the moment planning also allows staff to pick up on a child’s next steps there and then, providing a rich and communication-based learning environment ensuring progression. Activities that are pre planned specifically to each child, are set out in addition to continuous provision, ensuring learning opportunities are appropriate and relevant to each child.
Each child is unique and their targets and next steps will therefore reflect the child’s developmental level and individual interests. Using a combination of effective questioning and narrative commentaries, staff asses the child’s level of understanding in the moment. Staff then support them with new vocabulary or ideas to develop their understanding. We understand and appreciate that sometimes an adult unintentionally interferes instead of interacting, so adults in the setting try to use their experience and knowledge of the cohort to decide whether to observe from afar, interact, or comment and add.

ASSESSMENTS - Children experience free-flow independent learning throughout the day and have access to all resources, being able to use and move anything they need. Children are supported and encouraged to use objects in new ways, using their imagination and investigative skills. Throughout this time, children’s development is tracked by their key worker. The key worker is responsible for tracking and assessing their child’s development throughout their time at nursery, using a variety of tools, including Tapestry, an online learning journal, and their own knowledge and understanding of the children. They then use this knowledge to specifically target any areas of learning that need
extra support through joint attention play and adult led activities.

SEN - Paws Nursery School has a SENCO, the person who will work in partnership with parents, classroom staff, and a range of other agencies to enable children with additional needs to make progress and access extra resources and support where appropriate. This person works in conjunction with the child’s key worker to help identify any additional needs, and then target specific areas of development. At Paws, we are committed to ensuring that the needs of all children are not only met. Through our ‘asses, plan, do, review’ cycle, we ensure each child is progressing at
their own pace.

PARENTS IN PARTNERSHIP - Parents are encouraged to use the Tapestry online learning journal to
upload observations from home, and have access to see photos and videos uploaded by staff during the nursery week. We hold an annual Information Evening to introduce parents to the EYFS, and termly parent and key worker meetings to discuss their child’s progress. Key workers also issue an end of year report. Parents have the opportunity to connect with staff at drop off and pick up time daily, and a notice board at the door is updated daily with activities children have participated in.