Where the Captain Shaw's journey begins

Little Treasures is where it all starts.

Our nursery is a warm, nurturing and ambitious place where young children learn through play, talk, stories, exploration, relationships and first-hand experiences. We want children to be curious about their world, confident to have a go, increasingly independent and excited by learning.

At Captain Shaw's, Early Years is not separate from the rest of the school. It is the beginning of one carefully connected curriculum journey.

In the early years, staff make a significant contribution to children’s development through high-quality interactions. This helps children to make a strong start to their education.
Ofsted

The same Big Ideas – experienced through Early Years

Our Nursery children encounter the same Big Ideas that inspire learning across Captain Shaw's. They might become inventors, explorers, storytellers, gardeners, designers or problem-solvers – but they experience these ideas in ways that are right for young children (visit our curriculum page to find out more. You can also view the curriculum overview at the bottom of this page).

Our curriculum is informed by Birth to 5 Matters and the Early Years Foundation Stage. Communication and language, personal and social development, physical development, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design are woven through rich continuous provision and carefully planned adult interactions. Our curriculum overview shows this breadth explicitly, including communication and language, mathematics, understanding the world, expressive arts and design, physical development and PSED.

Stories are an important starting point for learning, alongside children's interests and experiences. Children investigate, build, create, talk, imagine, move, make choices and solve problems. They also begin to take part in the real-life, purposeful projects that characterise our wider school curriculum.

Learning through the world around us

We believe young children need to experience the world, not simply be told about it.

Our children learn indoors and outdoors, in our grounds and within our local community. The curriculum includes exploring our village, visiting local places, growing and caring for plants, investigating the natural world and learning through practical experiences.

As children grow in confidence, adults carefully extend their language, thinking, physical development, independence and understanding. Play remains central, but it is purposeful play, supported by adults who know the children well and understand what they need to learn next.

Nursery, Reception and beyond

One of the strengths of being a small school is that we can make children's transition through Early Years particularly natural.

In the afternoons, our Reception children learn alongside Nursery through carefully planned continuous provision. At other times, Reception children join Key Stage 1 when the learning is appropriate for their development and the curriculum opportunity is right.

We do not rush children into the next stage, nor do we hold them back because of their age. Instead, we use our Reception curriculum stepping stones to connect the EYFS with the subject knowledge and disciplinary learning children will encounter in Key Stage 1.

This creates a carefully sequenced journey while allowing us to respond to the development of the individual child.

Ofsted recognised the strength of this approach:

Pupils are well-prepared for each stage of their education. This includes children in the early years who are ready for the demands of Year 1.
Ofsted

Belonging from the very beginning

Our school vision and values begin in Nursery too.

Children learn what it means to be truthful, be respectful, be a good friend, show courage, show wisdom and persevere – not through abstract lessons, but through the everyday experiences of playing together, sharing, solving problems, making choices, caring for others and discovering what they can do.

Our aim is simple: for every child to take part, feel that they belong and flourish.

By the time children move beyond Early Years, we want them to have strong foundations in communication, relationships, physical development and early learning – but also curiosity, confidence and a genuine desire to find out more.

Little Treasures starts even earlier...

Every Wednesday morning from 9.30am, we open our doors to babies, toddlers and their parents or carers for our free Toddler Group.

Families can come along, enjoy our Early Years environment and get to know our wonderful team. Toddlers can explore, play and spend time alongside our Nursery children, while parents and carers have the opportunity to meet other families and become part of the Captain Shaw's community.

There is no charge and no need to be attending – or planning to attend – Captain Shaw's. Everyone is welcome.

For some children, Toddler Group becomes their very first experience of Captain Shaw's. It means that, if they later join Little Treasures, the environment, adults and routines can already feel familiar.

Come and see Little Treasures

Whether your child is a baby just beginning to explore, a toddler joining us on a Wednesday morning, or ready to start Nursery, you are very welcome at Captain Shaw's.

Choosing a nursery is an important decision and we think the best way to understand Little Treasures is to experience it. Come and meet our team, explore the environment and see where your child's Captain Shaw's journey could begin.

Toddler Group: Wednesdays from 9.30am – free and open to all
Nursery visits and enquiries: Contact the school office on 01229 718279

The weekly timetable can be accessed at the bottom of the page or here.