EYFS

At Dixons Allerton Academy, our nursery is a warm, nurturing and welcoming environment where children feel happy, safe and inspired to learn. We believe that the early years should be filled with fun, exploration and meaningful experiences that help children develop confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. 

Nursery is a vital stage in a child's development, and we provide a rich range of learning opportunities tailored to children's individual needs and interests. Through carefully planned indoor and outdoor experiences, children are encouraged to develop the key foundations for future learning. Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on the three prime areas of learning: communication and language, personal, social and emotional development, and physical development. 

We recognise that every child is unique. Our skilled staff take time to understand each child's strengths, interests and next steps, ensuring that learning is engaging, purposeful and personalised. We work closely with families and regularly welcome parents into nursery to share in their child's learning journey and celebrate achievements together. 

Our nursery offers flexible provision with a maximum of 26 children attending each session, allowing us to create a caring and supportive environment where every child is known and valued. We offer: 

• 15 hours funded provision for all three-year-old children 

• 30 hours funded provision for eligible families 

• A free school dinner for children attending full-day sessions 

Session times:

Morning session (15 hours) 
8.30am - 11.30am 

Afternoon session (15 hours) 
12.30pm - 3.30pm 

Full day session (30 hours for eligible children) 
8.30am - 3.30pm 

We are proud to provide an engaging start to education, where children thrive through play, discovery and positive relationships, building the skills and confidence they need for a successful transition into reception and beyond.

In reception, learning is guided by the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework and informed by development matters, ensuring children build the knowledge, skills and understanding they need for a successful transition into key stage one. Alongside high-quality teaching, our curriculum is shaped by key principles including the Reggio Emilia approach, learning through play, outdoor learning, creativity, independence and child-led enquiry. 

Building on from our focus of the prime areas of learning in nursery, our reception children take part in daily, structured lessons in phonics, mathematics, literacy and personal, social and health education (PSHE), providing strong foundations for future learning. Equally important is the time children spend exploring, investigating and learning independently within our carefully planned provision. 

Outdoor learning plays a vital role in our reception curriculum. Children spend a minimum of two hours learning outside every day, whatever the weather. Through outdoor exploration, children develop their physical skills, resilience, problem-solving abilities and understanding of the world around them. As Alfred Wainwright famously said, "There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing" - so don't forget your wellies! 

Our reception provision nurtures confident, curious and independent learners, ensuring every child is supported to thrive, achieve and develop a lifelong love of learning.