Welcome to Nursery at Heronshaw School. We currently have one Nursery class with up to 16 children aged 3 and 4 years. We provide a nurturing and engaging environment where children feel safe, valued and excited to learn. Through play, exploration and meaningful experiences, we support every child to develop confidence, independence and a love of learning.
We welcome children to our Nursery from the term after their third birthday. We offer both the Universal 15 Hours Funding and the Extended 30 Hours Funding for eligible families.
Our Nursery sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am and 12:10pm to 3:10pm. Children accessing 30 hours provision or attending all day can join our supervised Lunch Club from 11:30am to 12:10pm for an additional charge. This provides a valuable opportunity for children to enjoy lunch with their friends, develop independence and strengthen their social skills in a familiar and supportive environment.
Learning Environment
Our Ladybird Nursery Class provides a stimulating environment where children feel happy, secure and ready to learn. Children are based in the Ladybirds classroom, which has been carefully designed to promote exploratory and investigative play, alongside opportunities for small-group learning and adult-led activities.
Children also have access to a dedicated outdoor area where they can play, explore and develop their physical skills. For much of the day, Nursery children access the wider Early Years provision alongside our Reception classes. This enhanced environment includes role-play areas, construction resources, small-world play, creative activities, investigation opportunities and outdoor experiences such as the mud kitchen.
As part of our Early Years approach, Nursery and Reception children learn alongside one another and share many experiences throughout the year. This helps children become familiar with the wider learning environment, daily routines and Reception staff, supporting a smooth and successful transition into Reception.
Our shared Early Years provision supports all areas of development and encourages curiosity, resilience and independence. Through a balance of child-initiated play, exploration and high-quality interactions, children build friendships, follow their interests and develop the skills they need for future learning.
Our Curriculum
At Heronshaw, Nursery children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. Learning is carefully planned to support children's development across the seven areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; and Expressive Arts and Design.
Our curriculum provides a strong foundation for future learning by developing children's confidence, communication skills, curiosity and independence. Through meaningful experiences and high-quality interactions, we help every child to thrive and prepare for Reception.
Learning Through Play
We believe that young children learn best through play, exploration and first-hand experiences. Our Nursery curriculum combines child-initiated learning with carefully planned adult-led activities to provide a rich and engaging learning experience.
Children learn through imaginative play, stories, songs, investigations, creative activities and practical experiences that capture their interests and develop their understanding of the world around them. Language-rich interactions are at the heart of our provision, helping children to build vocabulary, develop communication skills and become confident learners. Through play and exploration, children are encouraged to think, question, create and discover every day.
Parent Partnerships
We believe that children achieve their best when families and school work together. We keep parents informed about their child's learning through our SWAY newsletters, which provide information about current learning, key skills and ways to support development at home. We encourage families to share stories, read regularly with their children and take part in learning activities beyond Nursery.
Throughout the year, parents are invited to attend parent consultations, stay-and-play sessions and learning celebrations, enabling us to work together to support every child's progress and development.
Equality, Inclusion and SEND
At Heronshaw, we are committed to ensuring that every child feels valued, included and able to thrive. We recognise that all children are unique and develop at their own pace. Our inclusive approach enables us to adapt learning experiences and provide additional support where needed so that every child can access the curriculum and achieve success.
We work closely with families and, where appropriate, external professionals to ensure children's individual needs are understood and supported, helping every child to feel safe, confident and successful within our Nursery community.