Over Twos Area

Active learning is embedded in all aspects of nursery life, and children are encouraged through praise by enthusiastic and patient staff who have high expectations of each child’s ability to achieve. Children take part in small group focused activities to develop their learning and social skills. 

The adult child ratio is one member of staff per four children aged two years, and one member of staff per eight children aged over three years. Each child has their own Key Person who knows them and their family well.  We can accommodate 30 children in this area.

We provide different learning areas to stimulate and meet the needs of the Toddlers and Pre-School children...

Messy Play Area  


Role Play Area 


Construction Area 

Creative Area


Small World Play 


Cosy Area

Mark Making Area 

Book Corner 

Garden

Getting ready for school!

The Pre-School children take part in child-initiated play, alongside more structured guided learning to prepare them for starting school. Children learn through play, by adults modelling, by observing each other, and through guided learning and direct teaching.

Letters and Sounds

Letters and Sounds is a phonics resource which ​aims to build children's speaking and listening skills. ​At this age, we do not teach children to ‘read and write’, instead we offer differentiated activities to prepare children for learning these skills when they start school, by developing their ​phonic knowledge.


By the end of their pre-school year, children will have taken part in activities to help them:

  • Understand the five key concepts about print: print has meaning, print can have different purposes, we read English text from left to right and from top to bottom, the names of the different parts of a book, page sequencing.
  • Develop their phonological awareness, so that they can: spot and suggest rhymes, count or clap syllables in a word, recognise words with the same initial sound, such as money and mother.
  • Engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary.
  • Use some of their print and letter knowledge in their early writing. For example: writing a pretend shopping list that starts at the top of the page; write 'm' for mummy.
  • Write some or all of their name.
  • Write some letters accurately.

Mathematical development

The staff use child-initiated play opportunities to organically develop mathematical concepts and language. Small group time also take place with more targeted learning experiences on offer, ensuring children have taken part in activities to help them:

  • Recognise up to 3 objects, without having to count them individually ('subitising').
  • Recite numbers past 5.
  • Say one number for each item in order: 1,2,3,4,5.
  • Know that the last number reached when counting a small set of objects tells you how many there are in total ('cardinal principle').
  • Show 'finger numbers' up to 5.
  • Link numerals and amounts: for example, showing the right number of objects to match the numeral, up to 5.
  • Experiment with their own symbols and marks as well as numerals.
  • Solve real world mathematical problems with numbers up to 5.
  • Compare quantities using language: 'more than', 'fewer than'.
  • Talk about and explore 2D and 3D shapes (for example, circles, rectangles, triangles and cuboids) using informal and mathematical language: 'sides', 'corners'; 'straight', 'flat', 'round'. Select shapes appropriately: flat surfaces for building, a triangular prism for a roof etc. Combine shapes to make new ones - an arch, a bigger triangle etc.
  • Understand position through words alone – for example, "The bag is under the table," – with no pointing.
  • Describe a familiar route. Discuss routes and locations, using words like 'in front of' and 'behind'.
  • Make comparisons between objects relating to size, length, weight and capacity.
  • Talk about and identifies the patterns around them. For example: stripes on clothes, designs on rugs and wallpaper. Use informal language like 'pointy', 'spotty', 'blobs' etc.
  • Extend and create ABAB patterns – stick, leaf, stick, leaf. Notice and correct an error in a repeating pattern.
  • Begin to describe a sequence of events, real or fictional, using words such as 'first', 'then...'