2026-27
We are taught by Mrs R. Collins.
Our teaching assistant is TBC
Morning Session - 8.45am to 11.45pm
Afternoon Session - 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Childcare Choices
Government help with childcare costs for parents. Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support. Find the right offer for you. Please click on the link.
Please click on the picture link to learn more about the Phonics Scheme we use at St Margaret's - Supersonic Phonic Friends.
Please click on the picture link to learn more about the Early Year Foundation Stage Curriculum Framework.
Nursery Indoor Environment
Welcome to our Nursery, located within our dedicated Early Years Foundation Stage unit, just to the right of the main school entrance. We are proud to offer a warm, stimulating and well-resourced learning environment where children feel safe, valued and inspired to explore.
Our indoor and outdoor spaces are carefully designed to support learning through play, curiosity and independence. Children have access to a wide range of engaging provision, including:
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Home corner role play
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Storytelling and book den
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Creative and mark-making station
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Investigation area
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Maths and writing areas
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Small world and construction
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Messy and sensory play opportunities
There is always something new to discover and investigate.
A Calm and Purposeful Start to the Day
Learning begins from the moment children arrive. Each morning, children take part in self-registration, helping develop independence and a sense of belonging, before choosing from a range of carefully planned activities.
During this time, adults introduce focused invitations to play and activities to share, explore and extend learning.
Building Strong Foundations with Funky Fingers and Dough Disco
Once everyone is settled, we begin with Funky Fingers or Dough Disco — activities the children love.
These sessions help children:
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Strengthen fine and gross motor skills
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Develop hand muscles for early writing
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Improve coordination and control
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Focus and get ready for learning
How we help develop Fine Motor Skills
Dough Disco
While your kids are molding play dough into different shapes, they are actually building up strength in their tiny hands. The acts of squishing, rolling, flattening, and more help your children develop muscles used in their hands for fine motor movements useful in the future, such as holding a pencil or using scissors.
Funky Fingers
Funky Fingers is designed to be a quick activity, which develops children’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. These activities can be completed individually but will be more fun if your child can play against you or a sibling.
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Funky Fingers - Activities for developing fine motor skills | [pdf 639KB] |
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Learning Through Play
Throughout the session, children enjoy extended time exploring our rich areas of provision, following their interests, developing friendships and building new skills through play.
We encourage children to become independent, curious and confident learners, making choices, solving problems and engaging deeply in meaningful play.
Play is at the heart of learning in Nursery. Through play, children develop language, confidence, problem-solving, creativity and social skills while making sense of the world around them.
Whether children are creating, investigating, imagining or collaborating, every experience is an opportunity for discovery and growth.
In our Nursery, every day is full of wonder, exploration and joyful learning.
Our Special Nursery Experiences
Supporting Communication and Language with WellComm
Language is at the heart of everything we do in Nursery. Through WellComm, we support listening, understanding and speaking through play, stories, songs and focused group work.
Squiggle While You Wiggle
Through music, movement and large-scale mark-making, children develop the gross and fine motor skills needed for early writing.
Mystery Reader
Family members are invited to surprise the children by visiting the nursery to share a favourite story, fostering a love of books and strengthening our home–school partnership.
Home Learning Challenges
Throughout the year, we share simple and engaging Home Learning Challenges linked to our Nursery themes and children’s interests. These playful activities encourage children to continue exploring and learning at home with their families.
Challenges may include:
- Story and rhyme activities
- Maths games and problem solving
- Creative making tasks
- Nature and outdoor challenges
- Talk and vocabulary challenges
These activities help strengthen the partnership between home and school, while promoting curiosity, confidence and a love of learning.
Word of the Week – Growing Vocabulary
Each week, we focus on a key vocabulary word linked to our learning to build language and confidence.
Nursery Outdoor Environment
Our outdoor environment is a very special part of Nursery life and an extension of our classroom. Every day, children have opportunities to explore, investigate, problem solve, create and imagine on a larger scale than is possible indoors.
Through our rich outdoor provision, children enjoy our minibeast garden, sand, water, construction and small world play, developing curiosity, resilience, teamwork and a love of discovery.
We are proud to nurture children to become independent, confident learners, encouraging them to make choices, take risks in their play and build positive relationships with others.
Early Maths
We provide daily opportunities for children to explore number, pattern, shape, space and measure through playful, practical experiences that develop curiosity, confidence and early problem-solving skills.
Using White Rose Maths to support our teaching, children build mathematical understanding through hands-on exploration, stories, songs, games and meaningful play woven throughout the Nursery environment.
We also use Numberblocks to bring early number learning to life. The children love engaging with the characters and stories as they develop counting, subitising, pattern and number sense in fun and memorable ways.
Through our maths provision, children are encouraged to investigate, reason, notice patterns, and talk about their mathematical thinking as they play.
Parents can also explore resources at home using these links:
School Learning Zone - Early Maths
We aim to foster a love of maths from the very start, helping children see themselves as capable and curious mathematicians.
Early Reading and Phonics
Children take part in a daily phonics session using Supersonic Phonics Friends, where they begin their journey into listening carefully to sounds, recognising rhyme, developing sound awareness and building early reading and writing skills through fun, engaging activities.
Through songs, stories and playful games, children develop the early communication, phonological awareness and literacy foundations needed to become confident readers and writers.
We believe high-quality early phonics teaching gives children the very best start and prepares them well for Reception and beyond, while nurturing a lifelong love of books, stories and language.
Parents can also explore resources at home using these links:
Stories Songs and Language
Stories and songs are at the heart of our Nursery and help children develop:
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Vocabulary and communication
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Listening and attention
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Imagination and creativity
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A lifelong love of books
Parents can also explore resources at home using these links:
Nursery Class Recommended Reading
How many stories can you listen to by the end of Nursery?
Please select the document below.
Working in Partnership with Families
We value working closely with parents and carers and believe children thrive when home and school work together. Through Class Dojo, Mystery Reader, home learning ideas and regular communication, we aim to build strong partnerships with every family.
What Our Families Say...
“My child has grown so much in confidence and talks about Nursery every day.”
“The Mystery Reader sessions are such a lovely idea — my child was so excited!”
What Our Children Say...
“I like making marks in Squiggle!”
“My favourite thing is when someone comes to read us a story!”
“I like counting in the maths area.”
50 Things to Do Before You're Five
See this link for a collection of practical activities and ideas to try with your child.
School Readiness
Our provision supports children to develop the independence, communication and early learning skills that prepare them well for Reception and beyond.
Nursery Curriculum Maps
Please select from the documents below.
Core Subject Resources
Term Topic Resources
Please click on the picture links to find a selection of topic resources for our children in Nursery Class.
The resources are a great and fun way to support and supplement your child's learning in school, develop their knowledge of the topic and encourage their love of learning.
Autumn Term First Half
Autumn Term Second Half
Spring Term First Half
Spring Term Second Half
Summer Term First Half
Summer Term Second Half
Things to Remember
Reading is an essential part of the EYFS curriculum. Please read with your child at home as this helps to develop their creative language and imagination. This can be through a free trip to the library or any books you have at home.
We ask for a voluntary contribution of £1.00 each week. This helps towards providing extra snack for your child, opportunities for baking and to follow the children’s interests. This can also be paid on a half termly basis.
Please ensure that all items of clothing are labelled with your child’s name.
Children will be provided with outdoor play coats. On wet days, children are welcome to bring wellies.
Please remember to send a hat and apply sun cream on sunny days.
Please help support your child with writing their name and drawing at home. This is a crucial time to develop a good pencil grip. Don’t forget that our door is always open if you have any questions.
Remember to check ClassDojo for our daily updates and photographs of your child’s experiences. We love receiving photographs of their learning and experiences at home as well.