Witamy w kościele św. Bernadety
Learn to love, love to learn
.png)
Our Vision for Nursery
At St Bernadette’s, we believe that every child deserves a happy, nurturing and joyful start to their learning journey. Guided by our Catholic values and school motto, “Learn to Love, Love to Learn,” we create a warm and welcoming environment where children feel safe, loved, valued and that they truly belong.
We recognise that for many children, Nursery is their first experience of school, and we understand just how important these early days are. We take time to build trusting relationships, celebrate each child's individuality and help them develop the confidence to explore, make friends and become increasingly independent.
Play is at the heart of everything we do. Through meaningful experiences, carefully planned provision and high-quality interactions, children are encouraged to explore, investigate, imagine and discover. We place particular importance on communication and language, giving children time to talk, listen, sing, share stories and develop the vocabulary they need to express themselves and understand the world around them.
We believe that every child arrives with their own experiences, interests, strengths and needs. Our curriculum builds upon these individual starting points, nurturing curiosity, developing essential skills and providing the right support and challenge to help every child flourish.
Our hope is that children leave Nursery feeling happy, confident, curious and proud of all they have achieved. We want them to carry forward a love of learning, a growing sense of independence and the strong foundations they need for their next exciting steps into Reception.
Our Catholic Life
Our Catholic faith is at the heart of our Nursery family. We want every child to feel loved, welcomed and precious, knowing that they are special and have an important place in our school community. Guided by our school motto, “Learn to Love, Love to Learn,” we gently nurture kindness, friendship and care for one another.
Children begin to experience God's love through simple, meaningful moments throughout their day. We share prayers, give thanks, listen to Bible stories and celebrate special times in the Church year. Through everyday routines, we encourage children to use kind words, help their friends, share, take turns and begin to understand how their actions make others feel.
We encourage children to develop a sense of wonder and gratitude for God's creation. Through outdoor play, noticing the changing seasons, exploring nature and discovering the world around them, children begin to appreciate the beauty of our world and learn simple ways to care for it.
Our Nursery is a place where everyone is welcomed and belongs. We celebrate the different cultures, languages, traditions and experiences within our school community, warmly welcoming children and families of all faiths and none. We help children recognise that although we may have different beliefs and experiences, we can all show love, kindness and respect.
Through these small but meaningful experiences, we hope children begin to understand that faith is something we live through the way we treat others, growing together in love, friendship and gratitude as part of our St Bernadette's family.
Getting to Know Every Child
What children learn and how learning builds
Our Early Years Curriculum
In Nursery, learning is woven throughout the day. A child building a tower is exploring mathematical ideas, developing coordination, solving problems and learning to communicate. Sharing a story develops vocabulary, imagination, listening and early literacy skills. Even everyday routines, such as snack time, tidying away and putting on a coat, provide valuable opportunities to develop language, independence and confidence.
Our adults carefully balance purposeful teaching, guided experiences and child-initiated play. Through thoughtful interactions, modelling, questioning and encouragement, we help children deepen their understanding and take their next steps in learning.
We recognise that children develop at different rates and arrive with different experiences. Our curriculum is carefully adapted to meet their individual starting points, with learning revisited and gradually extended as children become ready for new challenges.
We want our Nursery children to develop a love of learning, a sense of curiosity and the confidence to explore, building the knowledge, skills and relationships that will support them throughout their Early Years journey.
Progression in Learning
At St Bernadette's, we understand that every child develops at their own pace. Our Nursery curriculum is carefully designed to build upon children's individual starting points, helping them develop the knowledge, vocabulary, skills and confidence they need to flourish.
Learning develops through small, meaningful steps, with children given plenty of opportunities to revisit, practise and deepen their understanding. A child may begin by listening to a familiar rhyme before joining in with actions, remembering words and eventually singing independently. Through everyday conversations, stories and play, children gradually develop richer vocabulary and greater confidence in expressing their ideas.
Physical development follows a similar journey. Children strengthen their larger movements through climbing, balancing, dancing and large-scale mark-making before developing the finer movements needed for drawing, using scissors and early writing. Everyday routines also help children become increasingly independent, from managing their belongings and putting on their coats to making choices and caring for themselves.
Our adults carefully observe children's development and use these observations to adapt experiences, revisit learning and introduce new challenges when children are ready. We recognise that progression looks different for every child, and we celebrate achievements both big and small.
Nursery is a special stage of learning in its own right. We do not rush children towards formal learning. Instead, we provide rich experiences, purposeful play and nurturing relationships that build strong foundations for the next stage of their journey into Reception.
Language, Vocabulary and Communication
Teaching Play & Inclusion
How We Teach & Support Play
At St Bernadette's, we believe that young children learn best through play, exploration and meaningful interactions. Our Nursery day offers a thoughtful balance of purposeful adult teaching, guided learning and child-initiated play, allowing children to follow their interests while developing important knowledge, skills and understanding.
Our continuous provision provides familiar, carefully organised learning areas both indoors and outdoors. Children can independently explore opportunities such as construction, creative activities, role play, sand, water, books and mark-making. These areas remain consistent, helping children develop confidence, independence and the opportunity to revisit and deepen their learning over time.
We thoughtfully introduce enhancements to our provision when they will enrich children's experiences, respond to their interests or support particular learning intentions. This might involve introducing new vocabulary and resources to our flower stall, exploring quantities and measures in the mud kitchen or providing exciting opportunities for large-scale mark-making outdoors. Our home corner encourages imaginative play, meaningful conversations and the development of everyday vocabulary as children recreate familiar experiences and explore different roles. Our Calming Owl provides a peaceful, reassuring space where children can take time to relax, recognise their feelings and begin to develop emotional regulation with gentle adult support. Across our Nursery, resources and experiences are carefully considered to nurture children's curiosity, creativity, independence and wellbeing.
Our adults play a vital role in supporting and extending learning. Through high-quality interactions, we join children in their play, model language, introduce new vocabulary, encourage problem-solving and gently extend their thinking. We recognise when to become involved and when to step back, allowing children time to explore, investigate and develop their own ideas.
Alongside child-initiated play, we provide short, purposeful teaching experiences through stories, songs, rhymes, pre-phonics games, mathematical activities and small-group learning. These experiences introduce and revisit important knowledge and skills, which children can then explore and practise through their play.
Learning also happens through our everyday routines and relationships. Snack time, tidying away, getting ready for outdoor play and spending time with key workers all provide valuable opportunities to develop communication, independence, cooperation and confidence.
Through this nurturing and carefully considered approach, we want children to feel curious, capable and excited to learn, enjoying the freedom to explore while knowing that familiar adults are there to guide, encourage and support them.
Early Reading and Writing
Mathematical Foundations
Physical Development and Independence
Inclusion and Wellbeing
We are committed to ensuring that every child deserves to feel safe, loved, understood and included. We recognise that children arrive in Nursery with different experiences, strengths and needs, and we are committed to creating a nurturing environment where every child feels a sense of belonging and has the opportunity to flourish.
Positive relationships are at the heart of our approach. Our small key-worker groups help children build trusting relationships with familiar adults who take time to listen, offer reassurance and understand their individual needs. We recognise that young children are still learning to understand and manage their emotions. Through gentle guidance, modelling and co-regulation, our adults help children recognise their feelings, find comfort and gradually develop strategies to manage challenging moments.
Our Calming Owl provides a peaceful space where children can take time to relax, feel reassured and regulate their emotions with adult support when needed. We also use familiar routines, visual timetables, simple communication prompts and clear expectations to help children understand what is happening throughout their day. These approaches are particularly valuable for children who may find transitions, communication or changes in routine challenging.
We understand that communication is essential to inclusion. Some children may communicate confidently through speech, while others need additional time, gestures, visual supports or carefully modelled language. Through high-quality interactions, Concept Cat, WellComm and targeted language activities, we support children to develop their understanding and express their needs, thoughts and feelings in ways that work for them.
Our adults carefully observe children during play, routines and interactions to identify potential barriers to learning and participation. We respond by adapting our provision, offering accessible resources, sensory opportunities, additional modelling, smaller-group experiences or individual support where appropriate. We work closely with families, our school SENCo and other professionals to ensure that support is thoughtful, consistent and responsive to each child's needs.
We maintain high aspirations for every child, recognising that progress may look different for different learners. Our curriculum remains ambitious and inclusive, with adaptations that enable children to access meaningful experiences, develop independence and experience success.
We want every child to know that they belong, their voice matters and their achievements are valued, however big or small. Through kindness, patience and positive relationships, we help children grow in confidence, develop friendships and feel happy and secure within our Nursery family.
How We Know Children Are Learning
At St Bernadette's, we recognise that every child learns, grows and develops in their own unique way. We take time to understand each child's starting points, celebrating their achievements and recognising the small but important steps they make throughout their Nursery journey.
Much of our understanding comes from watching, listening and interacting with children during their everyday play and routines. Our adults notice how children communicate, form friendships, solve problems, explore new ideas and develop their independence. These meaningful observations help us understand what children already know, what they are beginning to learn and where they may need further encouragement or support.
Alongside these everyday interactions, we use focused observations and appropriate checks to understand particular areas of development. For example, WellComm helps us identify children's speech, language and communication needs, while observations of mark-making, pencil control, scissor skills and physical development help us recognise how children's skills are progressing.
We use what we learn about our children to shape our teaching and provision. This may involve introducing new vocabulary, revisiting familiar learning, adapting resources, providing additional support or offering new challenges. Our aim is to ensure that learning remains meaningful, achievable and ambitious for every child.
We value the important role families play in children's learning and development. Through everyday conversations, shared observations and parent consultations, we celebrate achievements, discuss progress and work together to support children's next steps, both at Nursery and at home.
We recognise that progress is not always measured by what a child can produce on paper. Sometimes the greatest achievements are a child finding the confidence to speak to a friend, joining in with a familiar rhyme, managing a new routine or independently putting on their coat. These moments matter, and we celebrate them as important steps in each child's learning journey.
Enrichment and Wider Experiences
Working with Families
Transition to the Next Stage
Our Learning in Action
