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Many nurseries in the UK adopt early years education methods alongside their early years curriculums.
The early years curriculums that all Ofsted-registered nurseries follow are:
- England – The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
- Scotland – Early Years Curriculum for Excellence
- Wales – The Welsh Foundation Phase Framework
- Northern Ireland – Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education
Curriculums are a framework upon which nurseries plan activities that will support children to learn and develop skills in language, movement, early academia and understanding themselves, each other and the world around them.
Early years pedagogy use certain learning environments, play equipment, teaching strategies and activities to deliver the curriculum and to supplement it with additional learning opportunities.
The Montessori method
Maria Montessori was an Italian physician. In 1896, she became one of the first women in Italy to graduate with a degree in medicine, with expertise in paediatric medicine.
After working with ill and disabled children for some years, she founded the Casa dei Bambini, in 1907, where she applied teaching methods she had developed throughout her studies and work. This became known as the Montessori Method and is one of the most popular early years pedagogies in modern nurseries.
The Montessori method involves:
- Specially prepared environments that:
- Have different play stations that focus on different areas of learning, such as maths, science, literacy, social skills, physical development etc. Children have time to use these freely, exploring their own interests, self-learning and inspiring natural curiosity.
- Are full of toys made of natural materials that stimulate the senses and encourage creativity and problem-solving.
- Specially trained Montessori teachers. These teachers focus on supporting children emotionally. They guide children rather than instructing them and teach responsibility and self-reflection.
For further information on the Montessori method: The Montessori Method of Education: A Child-Led Approach
The Reggio Emilia approach
Reggio Emilia is a city in northern Italy, between Bologna and Milan. There, a teacher named Loris Malaguzzi founded his first preschool in 1963, after years of experience and development of his teaching method.
The Reggio Emilia approach involves:
- The belief that every child has 100 languages through which to express themselves, such verbal language, academics, creative outlets and body language. The approach encourages children to explore and use these languages.
- Children taking an active role in their learning.
- Learning in small groups so that every child gets to express their point of view.
- Topics of learning are based on the children’s interests.
- Each child’s learning is documented.
- Participation from parents and the local community.
- Teachers learn from children alongside children learning from teachers.
- The environment acting as a ‘third teacher’.
For further information about the Reggio Emilia approach: What is the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Years Education?
Forest schools
At forest schools, children do a lot of their learning outdoors, particularly in woodlands. The method is inspired by Scandinavian forest schools and the Scouts.
With activities ranging from building dens to foraging to arts and crafts with natural materials like pinecones and mud, the approach encourages children to be creative, solve problems and build responsibility and relationships within a natural environment.
Forest schools still adhere to their country’s curriculum, with additional forest learning complementing their education.
Forest schools involve:
- Games and activities outside in woodland that teach children a variety of skills.
- Highly trained forest school practitioners who ensure that children stay safe during forest activities.
- High staff-to-child ratio.
For further information about forest schools: What is a Forest School Nursery? The Natural Approach to Learning
Outdoor nurseries
Outdoor nurseries are what the name suggests – aside from during extreme weather, children spend their entire day at nursery outdoors.
The benefits of this include a greater understanding of nature, improved physical fitness, an innate sense of freedom and even, potentially, children learning at a faster pace.
Outdoor nursery sites are thoroughly risk-assessed to make sure children are safe, and the national curriculum is still followed.
Outdoor nurseries involve:
- Learning and playing outdoors all day long, every day.
- Using outdoor activities and experiences to deliver the national curriculum.
For further information about outdoor nurseries: What is an Outdoor Nursery? Benefits, learning and play
The Curiosity Approach
The Curiosity Approach was co-founded by Lyndsey Hellyn and Stephanie Bennett. Drawing on their collective 50 years’ experience in childcare, and predecessors in childcare methods such as Montessori and Steiner, they created a method that removes modern distractions and empowers children to learn through their own innate curiosity.
The Curiosity Approach involves:
- Using everyday items, rather than modern toys, to evoke children’s natural curiosity and support them to figure out the world around them.
- Focus on play.
- Children play and learn in a ‘home from home’ setting that incorporates ‘Hygge’, and Danish lifestyle that uses cosy environments and focus on living in the moment and enjoying simple pleasures.
- Rooms are painted with neutral colours to create a tranquil environment.
For further information about the Curiosity Approach: The Curiosity Approach to Early Years Learning
Steiner nurseries (Steiner Waldorf)
Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian writer and social reformer who was fascinated by the spiritual world. He had been seeing ghostly apparitions from a young age and worked as a clairvoyant during his life.
He was fascinated by ways in which people could harmonise with spirituality and become true individuals, and began applying this ideas to the schools he founded. The first of these, founded in 1919, educated a lot of children whose parents worked in the nearby Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory. This was a significant move in social equality and is why many Steiner nurseries to this day are known as Steiner Waldorf or Waldorf schools, nurseries and kindergartens.
His schools focused on children being able to exercise their will and emotions, as well as learning moral responsibility and exploring who they are as individuals.
Steiner nurseries involve:
- Including and valuing all children.
- Nurturing each child’s mental, social, physical and spiritual needs.
- Generating curiosity and enthusiasm for learning through a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities.
- Promoting independence and exploring individual interests and feelings, alongside awareness and respect for others’ interests and feelings.
For more information on Steiner nurseries: What are Steiner nurseries?
Froebelian nurseries
Friedrich Froebel founded the first ever kindergarten. He was a pioneer in early years education, which he believed to be the most important stage of a child’s learning, not least for employing women to teach in his kindergarten.
His approach focused on gaining freedom through education, with children being supported to explore their interests and use their free will, thus blossoming (kindergarten means ‘garden of/for children) into confident individuals and enthusiastic learners.
Froebelian nurseries involve:
- When a child starts nursery, practitioners ask parents about the child’s interests and capabilities.
- Children learn through ‘freedom with guidance’. They have access to indoor and outdoor spaces and plenty of learning and play materials that they can explore as they choose. If a child shows interest in a subject, practitioners support them to explore that subject further.
- Connecting all aspects of each child’s life with their learning.
- Connecting with nature.
- ‘Gifts’ are used to promote independent play, imagination and problem-solving. Gifts can be natural materials, everyday items, art supplies and many more.
- Encouraging each child to explore their own interpretation of their feelings and interests.
For more information on Froebelian nurseries: What are Froebelian nurseries?
Bilingual nurseries
At bilingual nurseries, children speak, listen, read, write and play using two languages.
At nursery age, children’s minds are particularly receptive to new language. Learning two languages is also found to improve overall cognition, including multi-tasking and problem-solving, and boost communication and social skills.
Some nurseries even offer multilingualism.
Bilingual nurseries use:
- Consistency in language use. For example, if it’s French – English bilingual, some teachers will use only English and others will use only French. This helps children to compartmentalise which language is which.
- Some are wholly immersive, so only the child’s second language is used while they’re at nursery.
- Nurseries follow their country’s national curriculum, with activities to learn reading, writing, maths, science, communication and physical development done in both languages.
- Learning about multiple cultures.
For more information on bilingual nurseries: Bilingual nurseries: How bilingual nurseries work and the benefits of learning a second language in early years
