Canterbury Nursery School

The Woodland Suite

A warm welcome to The Woodland Suite to all our children and families – here we would like to share an insight into our nursery day and some of the activities and experiences for you to look forward to.

At the start of every nursery session, children are greeted by their key person as they join their animal group for registration and a ‘funky finger’ activity. This is followed by a small group teaching session where children engage in lots of different learning activities. This can include mark making activities, sensory experiences, singing songs and rhymes, developing counting skills and many more! We also share our core story of the week. The children then choose where to freely explore within the provision. At the end of the session, the children collect their own coats and belongings and re-join their animal group for a planned activity before home time. 

Snack

We offer a variety of foods and snacks such as cereal, fruit, yoghurts and crackers, which are available throughout the session to the children, as well as fresh water and milk.  

Autumn 1

At the start of the year, our theme for the term is ‘All About Me’ where we focus on ourselves and our likes and dislikes, building friendships, becoming familiar with nursery and learning routines – nursery can be a tricky transition for some children but our amazing staff help children to gain their confidence and quickly settle into their new environment. During Autumn we look closely at the changes that this season brings to the world around us. The core stories that we use this term include Goat Goes to Playgroup, Owl Babies, My World Your World, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, It's Not a Stick and The Gruffalo. 

Autumn 2

We have an exciting start as we host our Firework Event in the nursery grounds to celebrate Bonfire Night/Diwali. There is food, drinks, a raffle and of course a wonderful firework display. One of our most popular themes is ‘Transport,’ which we cover during Autumn 2, as many of the children have a keen interest in all the different types of vehicles. Our core stories include The Train Ride, Travelling By, Wheels on the Bus, Handa's Surprise, Whatever Next and Dear Santa. This is often a very busy and exciting time in the lead up to Christmas with singing Christmas songs, Christmas parties, Christmas Jumper Day, raffles and even a visit from Santa himself! The children also enjoy a visit to Robertshaw’s Farm Shop in Thornton, helping to choose a decoration for our Christmas tree.

Spring 1

Our theme for the term is ‘Nursery Rhymes’ and we sing familiar rhymes including Humpty Dumpty, 12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive, Incy Wincy, Hickory Dickory and Twinkle Twinkle. Alongside our Nursery Rhymes, our supporting core stories include Little Lumpty, Hooray for Fish, The Very Busy Spider, Peace at Last and How to Catch a Star.

The children also begin to learn about life cycles with the arrival of ‘Living Eggs’ and learn how to care for living things. We eagerly wait for our new friends to hatch and the children watch with fascination as the chicks grow and change. It is an incredibly memorable experience for both staff and children and sparks lots of questions and discussions.

Spring 2

Following on from the previous learning around life cycles and linking to the Spring season, this term we base our learning on ‘Animals and Minibeasts’. To further support the children’s understanding we provide another unforgettable opportunity; to watch caterpillars change into chrysalides and then emerge as beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies. The children love raising and feeding their very own butterflies and then release them into the wild! This generates an interest towards exploring the outdoor areas looking for more minibeasts. Magnifying glasses help the children to carefully look at their features and strengthen their understanding of number and quantity by counting the number of spots on a ladybird or the legs on a spider.

Our core stories include Tip Tap Went the Crab, Driving my Tractor, Dear Zoo, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Brown Bear, Brown Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Summer 1 & 2

As we welcome the warmer weather, the children enjoy spending lots of time outdoors, with visits to the slide and climbing frame. It’s important to remember to apply sun cream before nursery and don’t forget your hats! For the Summer term, our topic is ‘Traditional Tales’ and our core stories include Jack and the Beanstalk, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Enormous Turnip and The Gingerbread Man.

We also start to discuss ‘Big School’ with the children that will be leaving us to help prepare them for starting Reception, as well as including transition visits from teachers from the local schools.

Enrichment Groups

The children have the opportunity to take part in a variety of enrichment groups, which run throughout the year. These include Baking Group, Maths, All Aboard, Phonics and Forest School. They further enhance the children’s learning and enrich their nursery experience, as well as being very popular with the children. They are tailored to each cohort and their individual learning needs.

What to Expect When