Today's learning walk highlighted the wonderful engagement, curiosity and enthusiasm across the nursery in line with our CALM Approach. Practitioners were responsive to children’s interests, creating meaningful experiences that promoted deep-level learning through play. Children were engaged and eager to explore, with adults skilfully extending learning through conversations, questioning and sensitive support.

Jelly Babies

The babies have continued to build strong, secure relationships with the staff through shared experiences and responsive interactions. They have been developing their emotional attunement by taking part in lovely singing activities, enjoying music together, and exploring movement using a variety of musical instruments. Alongside this, they have enjoyed engaging in 'object permanence' activities using a variety of boxes.

It has been wonderful to see the children engaging with curiosity, building confidence, and strengthening their social, emotional, and cognitive development through these meaningful experiences.

Jelly Tots

The children were fully immersed in sensory exploration within the garden, investigating water, petals and natural materials in the messy tray. Staff skilfully encouraged mathematical thinking through opportunities to tip, pour, fill and empty containers while introducing simple mathematical language during play.

The CALM approach was clearly evident as practitioners remained attentive and responsive to children’s interests, allowing learning to develop naturally through children’s curiosity. Indoors, children also explored body painting, delighting in making marks using their hands, feet, arms and legs. This rich sensory experience promoted creativity, self-expression and confidence while encouraging children to explore different textures and surfaces.

Jelly Beans

The Jelly Beans children were engaged in a wide range of purposeful activities throughout the day, demonstrating sustained concentration and a genuine love of learning.

At the water tray, children investigated mathematical concepts by filling and emptying containers of different sizes, experimenting with volume while developing fine motor skills through the use of pipettes. Staff extended learning through rich mathematical language and encouraged children to predict, compare and investigate.

Mathematical learning continued within the sand tray, where children independently created numbers and shapes through exploratory mark making, naturally embedding early maths within play.

Imaginative play was also a particular strength, with a small group enjoying a train journey role-play alongside a practitioner. Children confidently took on different roles, negotiated ideas together and developed their communication, language and social skills as the play evolved.

Staff also demonstrated excellent responsive practice by recognising that several children had recently attended pre-school booster appointments. Doctor role play was introduced to support children’s emotional wellbeing, helping them explore feelings, develop understanding and build confidence through co-regulation and meaningful conversations about being unwell and visiting the doctor.

Smarties

The Smarties children have continued to build on their fascination with transport by exploring cars, ramps and road layouts in the garden. Staff thoughtfully extended this interest into discussions about road safety, different vehicles and the role of transport in everyday life, encouraging children to share their own experiences and ideas.

A small group also enjoyed making playdough alongside a practitioner, carefully following simple instructions while independently selecting different materials to add. This sensory experience encouraged children to explore textures, colours and smells, developing patience, communication and descriptive language as they compared familiar scents and confidently shared their own ideas with their friends.

Overall Reflections

Across all rooms, practitioners demonstrated a strong understanding of children’s interests and used these to create engaging, purposeful learning experiences. Adult interactions were warm, responsive and well-timed, supporting children to think, communicate and solve problems independently.

It was wonderful to see children so deeply engaged in meaningful experiences that fostered curiosity, independence and a genuine love of learning - all part of our CALM Approach.