Our Playroom

At St. Mark's Nursery Class, we believe that a child’s environment is a powerful 'third teacher'. Our nursery is intentionally designed to be more than just a place to play; it is a vibrant environment where every corner invites exploration, independence, and a sense of wonder.

We empower our children by giving them ownership of their space. Every shelf is at eye level, and every resource is accessible, encouraging children to lead their own learning journeys. 

A Space Designed for the 'Whole Child'

Our nursery layout reflects the needs and interests of our children.  We provide open-ended environments both indoors and outdoors that challenge children to think critically and creatively.  We offer five separate areas for our children to explore and spark their interests.

STEM & Construction: Using wooden blocks and "loose parts," children develop early engineering skills and spatial awareness. Here, a wooden plank isn’t just wood—it’s a bridge, a ramp, or a skyscraper.

Creativity: With access to a range of media such as clay, paint, and charcoal, children learn to express their inner artist. In this area, the goal isn't to make a perfect finished product. It is about experimentation; junk modelling, paint mixing, cutting, sticking, threading - the opportunities are endless!

Health and Wellbeing: Our HWB area offers a wide selection of snacks prepared by our children, daily toothbrushing and opportunities to develop children's emotional intelligence through emotion coaching. Children also have the opportunity to explore sand, water and messy play.

Literacy & Role Play: Children have the opportunity to develop their phonological awareness through rhythmic games, nursery rhymes and story telling. Using 'story spoons' or puppets, children explore stories. Our 'Mark-Making Station', allows children the opportunity to explore sand trays, chalk, thick/fine brushes transforming their thoughts into visual representations.

Responsive: Our Responsive Area is fluid and allows our staff to respond to the children's current interests. If a child finds a snail in the garden, this area might become a "Snail Research Lab" overnight, stocked with magnifying glasses, spiral-patterned art, and non-fiction books about insects and molluscs.