Noah’s Ark Day Nursery

Our Curriculum Statement

Our curriculum is rooted in our nursery values of Belonging, Kindness, Courage, Wonder, and Voice, and shaped by the children and families we serve.

As a small, family-run nursery in a richly multicultural area, we place strong emphasis on belonging, identity, and meaningful relationships. We want every child and family to feel seen, valued, and proud of who they are, with their culture, language, and family life reflected and celebrated within our setting.

We follow the four overarching principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS):

Unique Child – Recognising every child as an individual with their own strengths, interests, and background.

Positive Relationships – Building secure, trusting bonds with children and families to support confidence, emotional wellbeing, and resilience.

Enabling Environments – Providing stimulating, welcoming spaces with open-ended resources and real-life experiences that encourage exploration , creativity and problem solving.

Learning and Development – Observing, supporting, and extending each child’s learning at their own pace, helping them grow curiosity, independence, and a love of learning.

We believe children learn best when they feel safe and cared for. Through gentle guidance and routines, our staff build trusting relationships that nurture confidence, independence, and emotional wellbeing. Our curriculum is play-based and responsive, guided by children’s interests and built around curiosity and wonder.

Each room has an individually tailored, age-appropriate curriculum that allows us to track progress carefully and ensure every child makes the maximum possible progress. We provide additional support for children with special educational needs, including targeted speech and language support, ensuring that every child’s individual learning and development needs are met. By observing and documenting learning, we support each child’s unique journey and address their next steps, helping them grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

By the time children leave us, our aim is to have prepared them for school, equipped with the confidence, skills, and curiosity they need to thrive. Children are supported to express themselves in many ways — through talk, play, movement, art, and, where appropriate, their home languages — ensuring every child has a voice and a love of learning that continues beyond their early years.

Following the EYFS framework and informed by Birth to Five Matters document, we work closely with families to provide a curriculum that gives every child a strong foundation for future learning while ensuring their early years are happy, enriching, and full of warmth, wonder, and possibility.

Our Curriculum in Action: Focus Areas

Our curriculum is designed around 5 key areas that support every child’s growth,
development, and love of learning. Each area reflects our nursery values and is
incorporated into all aspects of nursery life:

Belonging and Identity: Children develop a strong sense of who they are and where they belong, reflecting our value of Belonging. Their culture, language, and family life are celebrated and reflected throughout the nursery, helping them feel valued and proud of their identity.

Focus: Social and emotional development, sense of self.

Friendship and Emotional Confidence: Children build secure, trusting relationships with staff and peers, supporting emotional wellbeing, resilience, and confidence, reflecting our value of Kindness. They are encouraged to manage feelings, develop empathy, and form positive connections within a safe and nurturing environment.

Focus: Relationships, emotional wellbeing, resilience.

Independence and Life Skills: Children are supported to take responsibility for themselves and their environment, reflecting our value of Courage. Everyday routines and practical activities foster independence, decision-making, and essential life skills, helping them grow confident and capable.

Focus: Self-care, decision-making, practical skills.

Curiosity and Wonder: Children are encouraged to explore, question, and investigate the world around them, reflecting our value of Wonder. Through play, hands-on experiences, and real-life learning opportunities, they develop creativity, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong love of learning.

Focus: Cognitive development, problem-solving, creativity.

Expression and Voice: Children are supported to express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings in a variety of ways, reflecting our value of Voice. This includes language, play, art, music, and movement, and where appropriate, home languages and
cultural experiences. Children’s voices are valued, celebrated, and incorporated into the life of the nursery.

Focus: Communication, self-expression, creativity, inclusion of home language and culture.