Our EYFS Curriculum at Doves Nurseries🌱

A Nurture-Led Approach

At Doves Nurseries, we provide a caring, nurturing environment where every child feels safe, valued, and supported. Our EYFS curriculum is rooted in an ethos of nurture, recognising that children learn best when they feel emotionally secure and confident in their relationships.

At Doves Nurseries, our curriculum aims to:
• Help children feel happy, safe, and confident
• Support strong emotional wellbeing and self-regulation
• Build positive relationships with adults and peers
• Encourage curiosity, independence, and resilience
• Prepare children for a smooth transition to their next stage of learning

Personal, social and emotional development is at the heart of everything we do.

Children at Doves Nurseries learn through play, exploration, and meaningful experiences. Our curriculum is:
• Play-based and child-centred
• Led by children’s interests and developmental needs
• Supported by warm, skilled practitioners
• Flexible and inclusive

Each child has a key person who builds a secure relationship with them and works closely with families ti support learning and wellbeing. Our calm routines and welcoming environments provide children with a safe base from which to grow and explore

Areas of learning

We follow all seven areas of the EYFS, delivered through a nurturing approach:
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

Learning is developmentally appropriate, focusing on confidence, enjoyment and readiness, rather than pressure or formal outcomes.

Inclusion and partnership with families

At Doves Nurseries, every child is valued as an individual. We:
• Support children of all abilities and backgrounds
• Adapt care and learning to meet individual needs
• Work in close partnership with parents as children’s first educators

Our impact

By the time children leave Doves Nurseries, they are:
• Emotionally secure and confident
• Able to express their feelings and needs
• Developing positive relationships
• Ready for their next learning journey
• Motivated and excited to learn

Our nurture-led EYFS Curriculum at Doves Nurseries ensures that every child feels safe, supported, and ready to thrive, giving them the strongest possible start to their early years journey.

At Doves Nurseries, our baby rooms provide a calm, loving, and secure environment where our youngest children feel safe, comforted, and deeply cared for. We understand that babies learn through relationships, sensory experiences, and responsive care, and our curriculum is rooted in an ethos of nurture.

Our intent for Babies

We aim to:
• Build secure attachments with caring, consistent adults
• Support babies’ emotional wellbeing and sense of security
• Encourage curiosity through sensory exploration
• Develop early communication through interaction and play
• Support physical development at each baby’s own pace

How Babies Learn at Doves Nurseries

Babies learn through:
• Warm, responsive interactions
• Sensory and exploratory play
• Daily routines such as feeding, changing, and sleep
• Singing, stories, and shared attention

Each baby is supported by a key person who knows them well and works closely with families to ensure routines and care are consistent and individualised.

Our environments are calm, safe, and stimulating, providing a secure base for babies to explore the world around them.

Our Impact for Babies

Our babies feel:
• Safe, secure, and comforted
• Confident to explore their environment
• Supported in their early development
• Valued and understood

At Doves Nurseries, our toddler curriculum supports children as they develop independence, curiosity, and a growing sense of self. We recognise that toddlers experience big emotions and rapid development, and our nurture-led approach ensures they are supported with patience, consistency, and care.

Our Intent for Toddlers

We aim to:
• Support emotional development and self-regulation
• Encourage early communication and language
• Build confidence and independence through play
• Develop social skills and positive relationships
• Support physical development and coordination

How Toddlers Learn at Doves Nurseries

Toddlers learn through:
• Play-based, hands-on experiences
• Exploration indoors and outdoors
• Repetition and predictable routines
• Language-rich interactions and modelling
• Supportive guidance during transitions

Each toddler has a key person who provides reassurance, consistency, and emotional support, helping them feel confident as they explore and learn.

Our environments are thoughtfully planned to allow toddlers to move, explore, and make choices safely.

Our Impact for Toddlers

Our toddlers are:
• Confident and curious learners
• Developing independence and resilience
• Beginning to express their feelings and needs
• Building positive relationships with others
• Ready for their next stage of learning

🌼 In Summary

Across Babies, Toddlers, and Nursery, Doves Nurseries offers a consistent, nurturing EYFS curriculum that supports children’s emotional wellbeing, development, and love of learning at every stage