Our Approach
How we teach, how we plan around each child, and what a day at ABC actually looks like.
Learning through play,
at every child's own pace
At ABC Day Nursery & Pre-School we believe every child is unique and learns at their own pace. A largely organic environment, child-initiated play, and real objects, natural and man-made.
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Our free-flow indoor-outdoor environment runs all year round, so children experience the changing seasons rather than being shielded from them. Our purpose-built playground is split into five age-group zones, each with its own play equipment, so every room has outdoor space that suits them.
Curriculum
Guided by Development Matters and the EYFS
Our curriculum is guided by Development Matters, the non-statutory guidance that supports the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This child-centred approach recognises that children develop at different rates and focuses on nurturing the whole child through play-based, meaningful learning experiences.
Practitioners carefully observe each child's interests, strengths and stage of development, using these observations to plan engaging activities that promote progress across all areas of learning. Through a balance of adult-guided experiences and child-initiated exploration, we encourage curiosity, creativity, communication, confidence and independence.
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Play-based, meaningful learning experiences
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Progress tracked across all areas of learning
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Individual observation, planning and assessment for every child
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School readiness built in from the Pre-School room onward
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A balance of adult-guided and child-initiated activity
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Curriculum information available to parents on request
Keeping up with the framework: we follow the EYFS statutory framework as it is updated. The September 2026 changes made safer sleep requirements explicit, introduced a duty to have regard to the government's screen use guidance for early years settings, strengthened suitability checks for staff and volunteers, and lowered the threshold for reporting allegations to Ofsted. Safer eating requirements came in from September 2025 and are reflected in our mealtime practice.
How we plan around your child
We observe
Practitioners watch what your child is drawn to, what they can already do, and where they are heading next.
We plan
Those observations shape what we put out, which activities we lead, and how we support each child individually.
We share
You see it as it happens through Famly, and your child's key person talks it through with you at drop-off and pick-up.
What a day at ABC looks like
7:30am
Early drop off
8:00am
Doors open, warm welcome and breakfast served
9:00am
Morning activities, indoors and out
10:00am
Snack time
11:45am
Freshly cooked lunch
12:30pm
Rest and quiet time
2:00pm
Snack time
2:30pm
Afternoon exploration on the playground
4:00pm
Wind down, tea time and stories
(pick-up until 6pm)