Ages and Stages

Our Baby Room is divided into two warm, cosy spaces that reflect the different needs of younger and older babies. Transitions between these spaces are carefully planned by our practitioners, who consider each child’s age, ability, confidence and emotional readiness, along with many emotional and physical factors, to ensure every move is calm and well-supported.

As a whole, the Baby Room is designed to feel like home, with plenty of soft furnishings and calm, nurturing spaces. Our main focus is always on meeting each child’s individual needs and working in close partnership with parents, so that routines in nursery closely reflect those at home. From the very earliest months, we place great importance on building secure attachments and providing rich opportunities for personal, social and emotional development.

Younger Babies

Pre‑walking: A calm, cosy space where the youngest children build secure attachments and feel safe, loved and settled. Routines are closely aligned with home, and our practitioners work in partnership with parents to ensure a smooth, reassuring transition into nursery life.

What matters most at this stage:

• Building strong, secure attachments with key staff

• A homelike environment with soft furnishings and peaceful areas to rest and play

• Routines that mirror home life

• Close partnership and communication with parents

• Gentle age-appropriate opportunities for early social and emotional development

Older Babies

Up to around age 2: As confidence grows, so does curiosity. This room encourages early independence through sensory play, movement, music and outdoor exploration. It is a stage full of joy and discovery, where personalities begin to shine, children start to express preferences, form early friendships and develop growing independence.

Key experiences:

Our Toddler Room is a wonderful open space for 2 to 3 year olds, as they grow in confidence on their feet and experiment with different ways of moving.

Toddlers thrive in an environment that offers freedom, gentle structure and plenty of opportunities to explore, and our room is designed to support this busy, curious and imaginative stage of development.

From the very beginning, children follow a flexible routine with bite‑sized activities and a wide range of opportunities for exploration, both indoors and outdoors. They spend a large amount of time outside, enjoying our enclosed Nursery garden as well as the beautiful Leweston grounds. As they move through the different stages of toddlerhood, the structure of their day grows with them, while still allowing plenty of time for child‑led learning and for practitioners to scaffold new skills based on each child’s interests.

Within this nurturing environment, toddlers enjoy creative play and messy exploration, early numeracy and literacy foundations, social play and turn‑taking, outdoor adventures, and music, movement and imaginative play. This is a stage where children begin to assert themselves, develop friendships and discover their own interests, all supported by practitioners who understand the emotional ups and downs of toddlerhood and are committed to helping each child grow in confidence and independence.

Stepping Stones bridges the gap between toddlerhood and the more structured Pre‑School environment, offering a great next step as children turn 3 and are ready for new challenges and a slightly more formal routine. At this stage, children are eager to learn, explore and take on new experiences, and our provision is carefully designed to nurture that enthusiasm.

We introduce Forest School and cookery sessions, along with monthly Literacy, Numeracy and Funky Fingers challenges, all within a rich, language‑focused environment. Children learn through themes and activities that follow their interests, with plenty of opportunities for role play and for building on their wonderful imaginations. Key developmental focuses include early phonics and language‑rich activities, number awareness and problem‑solving, learning through themed experiences, growing independence in self‑care, and confidence‑building through small group activities such as cookery.

Children across all rooms benefit from our free‑flow approach, with the option to play indoors or outdoors as they wish, taking their learning with them wherever they are. This stage helps children feel ready, both emotionally and academically, for the next step into Pre‑School.

The Final Step Before Reception. Led by a qualified teacher, our Pre‑School offers exceptional preparation for school life. From around 3½ years old, children benefit from an enhanced curriculum that blends structured learning with imaginative play and outdoor exploration. They enjoy specialist lessons in Music, PE, French, Spanish and swimming, as well as Forest School sessions and exciting enrichment activities such as gardening, cookery and Rugby Tots.

Our main aim within Pre‑School is to ensure that each and every child is fully equipped with the core skills they need for the next stage. Children experience a rich, balanced curriculum with a strong focus on early literacy and numeracy, social skills, teamwork and resilience, alongside independence and school‑readiness routines. Our highly qualified and passionate staff skilfully match activities to extend, delight and engage every child, helping them to grow in confidence and curiosity.

By the time they leave Pre‑School, children are confident, enthusiastic learners who are excited and well prepared for the next chapter in Reception.