Reddish Vale Nursery School

Implementation

Impact

Adaptations

Children are provided with opportunities for crawling and tummy time where these have been missed as babies.

Crawling and tummy time help babies develop their gross motor skills, such as balance, coordination, and strength. Even if missed as infants, engaging in these activities later can still contribute to motor skill development.

Layout of physical space to accommodate all needs.

Different levels of challenge related to ability.

Different tools provided e.g. thicker pencils, left handed scissors.

Different sized chairs available.

Wobble cushions to support stability.

Advice from physio team.

Children participate in active group times

Active group times typically include movement activities such as dancing, playing games, and participating in gross motor exercises. These activities help 2-year-olds develop their physical skills, including coordination, balance, and strength.

There is a separate outdoor area with differentiated opportunities for physical development, for example – smaller bike track with low bridge, wide balancing beams, larger balls, smaller sand pit.

Outdoor play encourages physical activity, such as running, jumping, climbing, and exploring, which are crucial for developing gross motor skills, coordination, and strength. It also provides opportunities for risk-taking and problem-solving, which build confidence and resilience.

Chairs have been removed except for use at snack times

Removing chairs creates a more dynamic learning environment where children can engage in active learning experiences. They can move around, interact with materials, and participate in hands-on activities more easily, which supports active learning and cognitive development.

Children are provided with differentiated opportunities for fine motor development, for example threading larger beads, simple playdough equipment.

Threading large beads onto a string or lace requires hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Using larger beads allows younger children to practice these skills with greater ease, as they have a larger surface area to grasp and manipulate compared to smaller beads.

Children are provided with opportunities to practice pouring drinks within the water area.

Pouring requires hand-eye coordination, grip strength, and control of hand movements, all of which contribute to the development of fine motor skills. Pouring drinks allows 2-year-olds to practice these skills in a practical and functional context.

The cups provided at snack time are varied according to children’s needs.

Children at this age are at various stages of development, including in their motor skills and coordination. Differentiated cups cater to these varying developmental needs, offering options that are appropriate for different levels of ability. For example, cups with handles may be easier for some children to grasp and control compared to cups without handles.

There are lower ratios in the 2s to promote independence e.g. toilet training.

Lower ratios enable adults to respond promptly to children's cues and requests for assistance. By being readily available, adults can support children in developing self-help skills and encourage them to try new tasks independently, knowing that assistance is available if needed.

Implementation

Impact

Adaptations

Children have continuous access to a large outdoor area with plenty of space for movement. Equipment includes: Trees to climb, large bike track with challenging hill, different styles of bike, a balancing rope, large sand pit, large construction area, ball play including football and basketball nets.

Outdoor play encourages physical activity, such as running, jumping, climbing, and exploring, which are crucial for developing gross motor skills, coordination, and strength. It also provides opportunities for risk-taking and problem-solving, which build confidence and resilience.

Layout of physical space to accommodate all needs.

Different levels of challenge related to ability.

Different tools provided e.g. thicker pencils, left handed scissors.

Different sized chairs available.

Wobble cushions to support stability.

Advice from physio team.

Additional skills are promoted through obstacle courses, ribbons and scarves, stilts, hoola hoops and large scale mark making equipment such as large paintbrushes.

Ribbons, scarves, and paintbrushes are valuable resources that support physical development in children by promoting gross and fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination, sensory exploration, creativity, and body awareness. Integrating these materials into play and learning activities provides rich and engaging experiences that nurture holistic development.

Children have access to a large scale construction area with large blocks, tyres, crates and wheelbarrows.

Constructing and balancing structures with blocks or other materials require children to understand spatial relationships and use their bodies to maintain balance. This promotes spatial awareness, as children learn how to position objects relative to each other and how to distribute weight to keep structures stable.

The chairs appropriately sized. Chairs are removed from tables where possible.

Removing chairs creates a more dynamic learning environment where children can engage in active learning experiences. They can move around, interact with materials, and participate in hands-on activities more easily, which supports active learning and cognitive development.

W sitting is corrected.

Sitting in the W position can lead to muscle imbalances and weakness in the core, hips, and pelvis. This can affect a child's ability to develop strong and stable core muscles, which are important for maintaining good posture and balance.

Children are provided with opportunities at Nature school such as rope swings, trees to climb, risk assessing the ground surface (e.g. not tripping over roots)

Nature school provides a holistic approach to promoting physical development in children by integrating outdoor play, exploration, nature-based activities, sensory experiences, risk-taking opportunities, and health-promoting practices. Through these experiences, children develop essential physical skills, confidence, resilience, and a lifelong appreciation for the natural world

Adults recognise how physical development opportunities can develop reading skills such as tracking bubbles left to right.

Blowing or catching bubbles requires hand-eye coordination, which is also important for reading skills development. Strengthening hand-eye coordination through bubble activities can support children's ability to track and manipulate objects on a page, such as pointing to words or using a finger to track text while reading.

Children are provided with challenging fine motor opportunities across all areas of provision.

Fine motor activities promote independence and self-help skills as children learn to manipulate objects, use tools, and perform tasks on their own. Skills such as buttoning, zipping, pouring, and cutting require fine motor control and coordination, which are essential for everyday activities.

Self help skills are developed such as unpacking own lunch, pouring drinks, cutting fruit.

Learning self-help skills empowers children to take care of themselves and their needs, fostering a sense of autonomy and independence. When children can dress themselves, feed themselves, and use the bathroom independently, they gain confidence in their abilities to navigate the world.

Parent are supported to understand how to keep preschool children healthy with exercise and oral health via school website and emails

Understanding the importance of exercise in children is essential for parents to prioritise their child's physical, mental, and social well-being and set them on a path toward a healthy and active lifestyle.

Children are provided with opportunities to climb trees and rocks to manage own level of risk

Climbing trees presents children with various challenges and obstacles to overcome, such as choosing the best route, navigating branches, and finding secure footholds and handholds. Managing their own risk encourages children to problem-solve and make decisions independently, fostering critical thinking skills and resilience.

Children are encouraged to get themselves dressed and undressed and to ask their peers for help when needed. They are encouraged to put on their own coats and zip them up.

Dressing requires coordination, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. By practicing dressing themselves young children refine these motor skills, such as buttoning, zipping, and tying, which are essential for their overall development.

Children are encouraged to become toilet trained as soon as they show signs of being able.

Toilet training involves the mastery of bodily control and coordination. Learning to recognize the sensation of a full bladder or bowel and coordinating the muscles strengthens pelvic floor muscles and improves overall muscle control and coordination.

Children are encouraged to make healthy choices at snack time and are taught how the body works

Understanding how the body works is essential for promoting health and hygiene habits. By learning about bodily functions such as digestion, respiration, and circulation, children gain knowledge about how to keep their bodies healthy and clean. They develop habits such as washing hands, brushing teeth, and eating nutritious foods to support overall well-being.

Fine motor skills are promoted through additional areas such as ‘funky fingers’ and children are encouraged to make their own playdough. Children are encouraged to take part in pegging and weaving activities.

Incorporating ‘funky fingers’ activities in the EYFS curriculum offers numerous benefits for young children, supporting their fine motor skills development, hand-eye coordination, pre-writing skills, concentration, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and sensory processing.

Different media is used to encourage fine motor skills such as fine sand, shaving foam, glitter and large chalks

Engaging with different types of media provides valuable opportunities for children to develop and refine their fine motor skills through hands-on manipulation, coordination, and control. These activities not only support physical development but also foster creativity, imagination, and cognitive skills.

Woodwork is used to promote skills such as hammering, screwing, sanding and sawing.

Woodwork activities offer rich learning experiences that support fine motor development in the EYFS by promoting hand-eye coordination, grip strength, precision, problem-solving, creativity, and risk management skills.

Knowledge and skills progression in the 2s

Emerging

• Know how to fit themselves into spaces
• Know how to build and climb independently.
• Show an increasing desire to be independent.

Developing

• Know how to kick and throw balls
• Know how to use a scooter and run safely.
• Know to explore different tools
• Show control in using jugs to pour

Secure

• Know how to catch balls
• Know how to jump, roll, spin and use a tricycle
• Use large and small motor skills to do things independently.
• Start to eat independently with a fork
• Show preference for dominant hand

Knowledge and skills progression in the 3s and 4s

Emerging

• Know how to climb using alternative feet
• Know how to use large muscle movements to make marks
• Use comfortable grip with good control

Developing

• Know how to skip, hop, stand on one leg
• Use developing skills and appropriate resources to complete a task
• Develop balance, riding and ball skills
• Show a preference for dominant hand
• Know how to use one handed tools and equipment
• Be increasingly independent

Secure

• Use and remember sequences of movement
• Know how to collaborate with others to move large items
• Take part in group activities they make up themselves
• Know how to make healthy choices