What will my child learn?
At Mini Montesaurs, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the framework that guides learning and development for children from birth to five years. The EYFS is made up of seven areas of learning. In our youngest room,
Dinkysaurs (9 months–2 years), we focus primarily on the three Prime Areas, as these form the foundation for all future learning:
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Communication and Language
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Physical Development
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Personal, Social and Emotional Development
By helping children build confidence, secure relationships, communication skills and physical independence, we create the strong foundations they need to thrive.
As children grow and move into our Mightysaurs room, we continue to nurture these Prime Areas while introducing the four Specific Areas of Learning:
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Literacy
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Mathematics
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Understanding the World
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Expressive Arts and Design
Through play, exploration and meaningful experiences, we support children to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence they need for school and for life.
Continuous
Provision
Continuous provision is the term we use for all the different areas your child can explore every day — such as construction, role play, small world, creative areas, and more. Each space is set up with a core range of resources that children can access all year round.
We plan these areas very carefully. We think about the layout, the resources we offer, and how each space can support children’s learning. Most importantly, we tune into the children’s interests, individual needs, and their next steps in learning. This helps us decide what to add, change, or enhance so the environment truly supports
their development. A well-planned environment helps children build skills, challenge their thinking, and develop confidence. It also creates lots of opportunities for rich conversations, modelling language, and extending vocabulary.
Daily Group Time
Our group times are a gentle invitation for children to come together, join their peers, and take part in our morning welcome. The aim is to help every child feel part of a group while enjoying activities that support their communication, language, and early literacy skills.
Group times look slightly different in each room because they are tailored to the age, stage, and needs of the children. We always keep them flexible so that every child can join in comfortably and at their own pace. Our younger children enjoy daily singing sessions using our song bag and puppets, sharing stories, and exploring musical instruments.
These activities help build early communication skills in a fun, playful way. For our older children, group times include stories, listening and attention games, and visual cues to support understanding. We sing every day because singing is a powerful tool for language development. As children grow in confidence, they also begin early phonics activities — tuning into environmental sounds and showing interest in letters and sounds through engaging, hands on experiences.
Communication
and Language
Communication and Language sits at the heart of the EYFS, and it’s a key focus across our nursery. Strong early language skills lay the foundation for every other part of children’s development and future learning, so we make sure every child is
supported to become a confident communicator. We use visual timetables, small group sessions, and communication friendly spaces to help children understand routines and feel secure. Staff model language throughout the day, giving children time to talk, explore new words, and build their confidence. Each term, we choose a set of core books with key vocabulary to explore together. This helps children develop a love of stories while strengthening their language and
listening skills. We assess children’s communication using Wellcomm, which helps us identify strengths and any gaps early on. We then use the suggested activities to tailor support so every child can make progress at their own pace.
Children also have lots of opportunities to join in with music, singing, and sensory sessions, which are fantastic for developing language, rhythm, confidence, and social skills.
At Mini Montesaurus, we create a nurturing environment where every child’s voice is valued and supported.
Listening and Attention
Understanding
Speaking
Personal, Social
and Emotional Development
At Mini Montesaurs, we prioritise building strong relationships with families. We offer flexible opportunities for prospective families to visit our setting and hold stay-and-play sessions for both new and existing families to join. We provide children with essential time to interact and build relationships with one another.
At Mini Montesaurs, we consistently model kindness and tolerance, fostering a caring and accepting attitude. We believe that with time and space, children can play, follow their interests, and develop their own ideas and identity. Our team employs various teaching methods and explores feelings with children through diverse activities to spark engagement.
We have developed our practices and environment to support children in co-regulating their emotions. We use core books, communication tools, and group times to provide children with opportunities to understand and manage their emotions.
Making Relationships
Sense of Self
Understanding Feelings
Physical Development
At Mini Montesaurs, we continually adapt our environment and teaching methods to support children’s physical development. Our indoor and outdoor spaces offer numerous opportunities to develop skills, and we work together to enhance these experiences.
We spend a significant portion of our day outdoors, believing that it provides children with more opportunities for imaginative play, creativity, problem-solving, and the development of key physical skills. We also regularly hold ‘dough disco’ sessions to strengthen fine motor skills, preparing little fingers for tasks like mark-making.
As a team, we reflect on ways to support children’s independence and encourage healthy habits. Physical development is a continuous focus at Mini Montesaurs. Bianca, our PD champion, attends regular training with the Physical Development Champions in Stockport and shares her knowledge with the team.