St Michael’s Nursery

How Your Child Learns

Everything we do at St Michael’s Nursery is shaped by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework — but more than that, it’s shaped by knowing each child as an individual. Learning here is active, joyful and built around what children are naturally curious about.

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

♥ We will support your child to:

  • Build close, trusting relationships with their key worker
  • Develop confidence and independence
  • Learn to share, take turns, and play with others
  • Understand simple emotions and feel safe expressing them
  • Begin toilet training at a pace that suits them

Communication & Language

💬 We help your child to:

  • Grow their vocabulary through songs, stories, and conversation
  • Listen and respond to simple instructions
  • Express their needs, feelings, and ideas
  • Enjoy music and rhythm through songs and rhymes

Physical Development

🌿 We provide:

  • Daily outdoor play for running, climbing and exploring
  • Activities to strengthen hand muscles and fine motor skills
  • Opportunities to practise feeding, dressing, washing hands and toileting
  • Weekly sessions including mini gym equipment, dance, movement and a variety of messy play experiences

All three areas form part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, which guides how we plan and support every child’s development from the moment they join us.

Our Enrichment Programme

Beyond the every day, our youngest children discover new skills, new sounds and new ways to move — building confidence one activity at a time.

Enrichment sits alongside the EYFS curriculum to broaden each child’s experience of the world. Delivered by specialist teachers and visiting practitioners, these sessions introduce Nursery and Pre-Nursery children to new disciplines in a way that is playful, purposeful and entirely their own.

Nursery Ages 3–4

Our Nursery children enjoy a broad and balanced sweep of specialist sessions each week, spanning movement, language, music and creativity.

Cooking

Simple recipes and food preparation that build fine motor skills and an early love of good ingredients.

Tap

Rhythm and footwork games that introduce timing, coordination and the joy of making music with movement.

Ballet

Foundational positions and expressive movement, encouraging poise, listening and gentle discipline.

French

An early introduction to a new language through songs, stories and simple everyday vocabulary.

Music

Singing, listening and simple instruments that develop an ear for rhythm, pitch and pattern.

Drama

Imaginative play and storytelling that build confidence in speaking, listening and performing.

Pre-Nursery Ages 2–3

For our youngest children, enrichment is gentle, sensory and led entirely by curiosity.

Sensory Play

Hands-on exploration of texture, sound, light and colour, supporting early physical and cognitive development.

Music with Jo Jingles

A specialist weekly session of songs, instruments and movement, designed especially for the very youngest learners.

Baby Ballet

Little steps and stretches set to music, introducing balance, listening and gentle coordination.

Storytelling & Drama

Picture books brought to life through voices, puppets and gentle role play.

Gymnastics

Rolling, balancing and tumbling on soft apparatus to build strength and confidence in movement.

Mini Ballers

Fun, ball-based games that build early movement skills, teamwork and hand-eye coordination.

Every session,
a small step forward

Our Enrichment Programme is included as part of the Nursery and Pre-Nursery offer. For timings and any queries, please speak to your child’s key person or contact the school office.