formally
Our Curriculum
At Hillside Gems, our curriculum is rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, meeting essential standards for high-quality early education. We also embrace a holistic, child-centred approach that emphasises play and wellbeing, creating a nurturing environment where children flourish emotionally, socially and cognitively.
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Additionally, we've tailored our curriculum to reflect our priorities as both teachers and parents, offering rich topic coverage and maximising opportunities for children to engage with adults individually, in small groups and as a whole class.
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The areas below have been carefully selected to support your child's growth:
01
Story-Centred Planning
At Hillside Gems, we harness the power of stories to spark curiosity, foster learning, and build essential skills. Our story-centred plans expand vocabulary, deepen conceptual understanding and support emotional development as children encounter themes that help them understand and manage their own feelings.
Stories fuel creativity and imagination, encouraging children to think beyond their immediate world, while developing focus, listening skills and cultural awareness. By exploring diverse stories, we cultivate inclusivity, allowing children to grow with an open mind and a love for learning.
02
Free-Play
Play is far more than just entertainment; it is a key factor in fostering learning, growth and emotional well-being.
​As we nurture and educate our children, it is vital to understand the significant role that play plays in their overall development.
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At our nursery, play is thoughtfully designed to be meaningful, fulfilling and carefully extended to meet each child’s needs. We observe children closely, plan with intention and work in partnership with parents to create the best possible play opportunities and outcomes. This ensures play is never random—it is purposeful, rich and deeply connected to each child’s stage of development.
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Through play, children discover the world around them, build essential skills and express their creativity and emotions. Most importantly, they experience joy—and we believe that joy from play provides the strongest foundation for lifelong learning.
03
Group Workshops - Project Focused
At Hillside Gems, our Workshop Time brings learning to life by connecting activities with real-world experiences that inspire children’s curiosity and natural abilities. In small groups, children engage in hands-on projects that make learning meaningful and fun, supporting each child’s overall development.
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Our activities include creative projects which build problem-solving skills and imagination; arts and music to nurture self-expression; and simple science experiments and puzzles that spark curiosity and encourage thinking skills. With a mix of individual and group projects, we support each child’s interests and talents, helping them grow with confidence and joy.
04
1:1 Workshops - Skills Focus
Skills Focus time is a one-to-one session tailored to children who are developing at their own pace and have interests that would benefit from individual support. If a child shows a particular interest, like painting, or could benefit from strengthening certain skills, an adult will lead a focused session with a clear learning goal.
In these sessions, the adult guides the child through specific steps, such as setting up paper, handling a paintbrush and cleaning between colours, helping the child develop confidence and independence in that activity. This personalised approach ensures each child can grow their skills and explore their interests effectively.
05
Physical Development Programme
We deliver our Physical Development Curriculum through daily opportunities for movement, both indoors and outdoors, supported by carefully planned environments and Forest School experiences.
Children develop strength, coordination and confidence through a balance of child-led exploration and guided activities that build skills progressively over time, recognising that physical development underpins all areas of learning.
We capture and celebrate children’s physical achievements through meaningful observations and shared moments of joy, recognising each step of their journey and inspiring them to grow in confidence, pride and possibility.