All children at Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries are encouraged to learn through play. Our Curriculum covers all the key areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage and is designed to meet the needs of each individual child.
Our curriculum follows the Government’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework which sets the standards for learning, development, and care for children from birth up to 5 years of age.
The principles which guide the work of our Early Years Professionals are grouped into four themes:
A unique child – every child is a competent leaner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Positive Relationships – children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or key person.
Enabling Environments – the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
Learning and Development – children develop and learn in different ways and at different times; all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected.
There are three prime areas of learning in which our Early Years Professionals support children to learn and develop. These are:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication and language
- Physical development
Plus four specific areas of learning. These are:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding of the world
- Expressive arts and design
Key Person System
Each child has their own key person to enable them to feel reassured, safe and cared for within our setting. This person also keeps a detailed Development Journey of the child’s progress during their time with us. These records are available to be viewed and discussed at any time by parents, who are always encouraged to add details of their child’s experiences from outside the nursery. This enables us to identify with your child’s learning requirements to ensure the most stimulating activities and effective learning goals are in place for each individual child.
Key Initiatives
Circle Time:
A special time to share thoughts and ideas, providing an inclusive social activity for children to connect with their emotions, learning to express themselves with confidence and creativity. Within this time children will explore areas of self-awareness and empathy, creating a respectful and caring ethos towards others, also learning retention ability and listening skills.
Messy Play:
A fun time for children to enjoy learning through making a mess! Playing with a variety of different materials with an aim of developing sensory awareness, coordination and fine motor skills. Exploration of shapes, textures, sounds and smells encourages a better knowledge and understanding of the surrounding world and it’s defining properties. It also promotes freedom of play, enhancing imagination and creative expression.
Story Time:
An enchanting journey through the imagination, an opportunity for children to explore their creative minds. Story time enhances early literacy skills and phonological awareness, whilst developing speech and language skills. Combining auditory with visual mediums, such as books, pictures and props; encourages children to connect with their active imaginations. Introductions of role play through interactive story telling enhances communication skills and self confidence.
Free Play:
Encouraging children to freely explore the surrounding world contributes significantly towards their cognitive, social and emotional development. It enhances physical dexterity and coordination, whilst supporting creativity and imagination. Interactions with other children teach a capacity to adapt ideas through cooperative play, developing their decision making skills and the ability to share. Freedom of expression also allows a child time for self discovery and identification of interests, allowing them to engage in the passions they wish to pursue.
British Values:
We are passionate about encompassing and celebrating ‘British Values’ within our learning environment. These values are democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for all. These British values are woven into everyday practice throughout the nursery.
Extra curriculum Activities:
We focus on children’s personal, social, physical, cognitive and creative skills as well as teaching them the importance of health and fitness. At Monkey Puzzle Maidenhead we have regular sports or gymnastic sessions. We have weekly dance and music sessions for each age group.
Outdoor Play:
Outside play provides exciting opportunities to develop all areas of learning and the learning goals within these. Our curriculum encourages children to use the garden and resources with a high level of independence. We see outside as a classroom in itself and will take the children out in all types of weather. We enjoy a wide range of gardening activities.
Early Reading and Writing:
Kids develop reading and writing skills at different rates. But they tend to meet certain milestones by certain ages. We practice Phonics, that enables children to read and write using synthetic phonics, which is widely recognised as the most effective way to teach children to read and write in English.
