Education

Scallywags Nursery

Our Curriculum

We have devised an ambitious curriculum designed to captivate children’s imaginations and open doors to new worlds they didn’t know existed. By building on their knowledge and scaffolding their learning, we aim to fill in the gaps and fit the puzzle pieces together, igniting their curiosity and excitement for the future. Our role is to help children experience the awe and wonder of the world through the seven areas of learning. At Scallywags Nursery, we teach holistically, ensuring every child thrives, shines, and embraces their uniqueness. We are passionate about giving children the freedom to develop at their own pace and in their own learning style. Our ‘In the Moment Planning’ approach allows children to lead their play, make their own choices, and follow their interests.

In the moment planning

At Scallywags Nursery children are at the centre of what we do and we believe that children learn best when they are interested, inquisitive and engaged, which at this age and stage of development, is best
achieved through play. Play gives children the opportunity to explore their own interests, enquire, plan and take risks. Additionally, play also allows children to use their creativity, develop their imagination, build on their dexterity and physical skills, not to mention supporting the development of cognitive and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children engage and interact in the world around them.

We use an online system called Nursery In a Box to document your child's learning journey with us, providing a platform for communication between key workers and families. Parents can access this portal to view their child's experiences, understand how they learn, and support their individual learning journey. As a small, personal nursery, we prioritise forming strong bonds with all children attending. Key workers and staff are always available to discuss your child's progress and development through our open-door policy or via the online portal. Additionally, we hold parents' evenings annually to further support your child's development.

Key Worker

Each member of our staff is responsible for a specific group of children, ensuring your child has a dedicated adult to relate to and share experiences with. Research shows that the key person approach benefits the child, the parent, the staff, and the setting by fostering secure relationships where children thrive, parents gain confidence, staff remain committed, and the setting becomes a happy and dedicated place to work. We aim for children to feel safe, stimulated, and happy within our setting, and to feel secure and comfortable with all members of staff. Your child’s key worker will observe them and enhance their play and development by offering a multitude of experiences that expand their learning potential. We follow the EYFS curriculum, tailored to each child’s individual needs and interests, to ensure comprehensive and personalised development

The key worker will collaborate with parents to ensure your child receives the support needed to reach their full potential.

Each key worker maintains a learning journal for your child, conducting regular observations and keeping an individual record of their progress.

EYFS

We continually monitor the children’s development and learning progression, recording significant milestones, and capturing moments of discovery. We use Development Matters, EYFS, CoEL, and the Leuven Scale to track children’s development through observations.

Key Person

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Trips & Outings

We have the luxury of being within a community which has lots to offer the children. As often as possible we will take the children on trips and outings. There is a wide breadth of experiences and learning opportunities to be utilised on trips to local parks, the library, pet shops, train station, fire stations etc. We visit our local care home on the last Wednesday of every month where we get involved in Exercise Time, Singing and Arts and Crafts. We regularly visit the Alzheimer’s group where we sing and interact and we cook for the homeless shelter every Tuesday. We also have connections with a school for Orphans in Uganda, The Manager Emma has visited the school and now each year organises aid including clothes, books and toys – we keep in regular contact with the school and sponsor some of the children

Scallywags Nursery

Our Promise

At Scallywags Nursery, we promise to provide a safe and nurturing environment, offering children unique learning opportunities through our ambitious curriculum and forest school ethos. We are dedicated to working closely with parents and other professionals to ensure all children’s individual needs are met, maintaining clear and honest communication at all times. Each of our playrooms has specific aims to foster secure attachments from the moment your child joins us, ensuring smooth transitions throughout our setting. This approach gives your child the best possible start to their early years, laying a strong foundation for their future development.

Trips and Outings

We take the children on trips and outings alongside our forest school ethos, integrating them within the community to learn about the world around us. Some of the trips we go on include visits to local farms, shopping centres, emergency service stations, the local windmill, church, care home, beach, and sealife centres. These excursions promote a wealth of experiences and learning moments for our children, enriching their understanding of diverse environments and community roles.

The children at scallywags also cook food for our local homeless shelter each week – we received a lovely letter from the shelter thanking all of the children for their kindness – “I wanted to write to you all to say a very big thank you for all the meals you have helped prepare with Emma for our homeless night shelter. Our guests loved the food you have provided. So well done and thank you so much.”