In Nursery this block, our literacy journey will follow the story The Gingerbread Man as part of the Pathways programme. Through repeated storytelling, songs, and role play, children will begin to recognise familiar words and phrases, join in with repeated refrains, and enjoy retelling the tale in their own way.

We will also focus on developing early reading habits through shared story times, time in the cosy reading corner, and visits to our class library, helping children to discover the joy of books. Mark-making opportunities will be woven throughout the provision, with plenty of chances to draw, paint, and experiment with different writing tools, building the foundations for early writing. These experiences support children to grow in confidence as early readers and writers while nurturing a lifelong love of stories.

Development Matters: 

• Engage in extended conversations about stories

•  Learning new vocabulary

Key Vocabulary: Story book, story, character, author,  sing,  rhyme,  mm,                                   sounds

Children will explore early maths through lots of practical, hands-on activities, supported by the White Rose Maths approach. Singing number rhymes and counting songs will  be an important part of our maths learning, helping children to hear, repeat, and remember number patterns in a fun and engaging way. They will have many opportunities to make collections of objects so they can see and feel different amounts. Through play, they will compare groups and begin to notice the difference between large and small quantities. These activities help children build a strong foundation in number sense, while making maths fun and meaningful in their everyday play.

Development Matters: 

• Recites some number names in sequence

• Begins to make comparisons between quantities.

Key Vocabulary: More, less, fewer, quantity, compare

Children will be busy exploring the world around them, both indoors and outdoors, using their senses to see, touch, hear, and discover. They will enjoy sand and water play, mixing and creating in the mud kitchen, and using natural materials to investigate and explore. Linked to our story The Gingerbread Man, we will also be learning about farm and wild animals through play and stories. These activities help children to be curious, ask questions, and make simple connections about how things work. Our All About Me focus will give the children time to share about themselves and their families, helping them to feel proud of who they are and building a sense of belonging in our class community.

Development Matters: 

•Has a sense of own immediate family and relations. 

• In pretend play, imitates everyday actions and events from own family and cultural background, e.g. making and drinking tea. 

Key Vocabulary:  sand, water, mix, pour, gingerbread man , woman, man, cow, fox

Creative play is an important part of early learning, giving children the chance to explore different materials and use their imaginations. This block, the children will be building confidence in pretend play, such as using everyday objects to stand in for something else during their games. They will also have lots of opportunities to explore painting, sticking, and making simple crafts, helping them to enjoy experimenting with colours, textures, and materials.

Development Matters: 

• Engages in imaginative role-play based on own first-hand experiences.

• Captures experiences and responses with a range of media, such as music, dance and paint and other materials or words

Key Vocabulary: paint, stick, glue, red, yellow, green, blue, 

This block the children will continue to develop and strengthen the movement skills they already know, such as rolling, crawling, walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, and climbing. They will also explore new ways of moving, practising balance, coordination, and control. Alongside this, we will focus on fine motor skills, encouraging the children to use tools like pencils and paintbrushes with increasing confidence and care.

In PE, the children will have fun joining in with a movement story about Mr Bear. They will crawl under tables like sliding under a bed, tiptoe carefully across a “creaky floor” (the balance beam), and jump over “pillows” (soft play blocks). These playful activities help children to enjoy being active while building strength, coordination, and spatial awareness.

Development Matters: 

• Handles tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control

• Experiments with different ways of moving. • Jumps off an object and lands appropriately

Key Vocabulary: Rolling, balancing, sliding, jogging,  running, leaping, jumping, hopping, skipping, catching and throwing

A key focus for Nursery this block will be helping the children settle happily into their new school environment and begin to build friendships. Through play and circle time, they will learn important skills such as taking turns, sharing, and working together with others. We will also spend time introducing ourselves and talking about our families, helping children to feel proud of who they are and confident in sharing about themselves.

As part of the Jigsaw programme, our theme Being Me in My World will support children to understand how it feels to belong, to recognise that we are all similar and different, and to think about ways to help others feel welcome. These experiences help children to develop kindness, empathy, and a strong sense of community in our Nursery class.

Development Matters: 

•Aware of own feelings, and knows that some actions and words can hurt others’ feelings. •Begins to accept the needs of others and can take turns and share resources, sometimes with support from others. 

Key Vocabulary:  Friend, kind, share, proud, class, community

This block we will be supporting the children to develop their speaking, listening, and understanding skills in lots of fun and engaging ways. Through group discussions, story times, and circle games, the children will have opportunities to listen carefully, take turns in conversations, and share their own ideas with growing confidence. Listening games and rhymes will help them to tune in to sounds and words, while role play and small group activities will encourage them to express themselves and build new vocabulary. These early communication skills are the foundation for learning and making friends.

Development Matters: 

• Enjoy listening to longer stories and remember what happens.

• Use a wider range of vocabulary.

Key Vocabulary:  Listen, speak, talk, share, think, pairs, sounds

This block introduces children to music through the theme Me!, exploring identity, family, and community. Children sing simple songs, listen and respond to different styles, and play percussion instruments to develop awareness of pulse, rhythm, and pitch. Through games and improvisation, they build confidence, creativity, and expression. The block encourages sharing and collaboration, culminating in a class performance that celebrates individuality, belonging, and the joy of making music together.

In Dance, children will move like Mr Bear in different scenarios (sleepy, restless, tiptoeing). They will engage in ‘freeze frames’ where they strike a pose showing a moment from the story, then “unfreeze” into movement. By listening to the sounds from the story, children will move in ways that match the sound’s feeling or tempo.

We warmly encourage families to continue learning at home through simple, playful activities that link with what we are doing in Nursery:

• Communication and Language (CL) – Enjoy Story Talk Time by reading stories together. Encourage your child to retell the story in their own words and talk about key events. Ask open-ended questions to help them think and express themselves.
  
  

• Understanding the World (UW), Communication and Language (CL), Expressive Arts and Design (EAD) – Let your child create pictures of themselves and their family using drawing or painting. Talk together about favourite stories and share as many books as possible at home.
  
  

• Mathematics – Explore “more and fewer” by counting and comparing objects around the house. Encourage your child to notice differences in quantity, size, or shape in everyday items.
  
  

• Physical Development – Support your child’s hand strength and fine motor skills through activities such as climbing, playing with toys, or scribbling with crayons. These help develop the muscles needed for writing and other tasks.
  
  

We would love for you to add a short note, photo, or video of your child enjoying any of these activities to their Tapestry Learning Journey. This helps us celebrate their learning both at home and at school.