Our Approach
Our STEM-integrated curriculum is grounded in the EYFS framework and designed to spark curiosity, build resilience, and develop the skills children need for lifelong learning.
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The FoundationEYFS Framework
Shelford Day Nursery's provision for the development and learning of children from birth to 5 years is guided by the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (DfE, 2021).
Our Mission Statement
At Shelford Day Nursery, our mission is to "spark curiosity in young minds" by fostering STEM skills and attributes that form the cornerstone of valuable life-long skills. We believe that by empowering children from an early age with the confidence, maturity, and independence to navigate their communities, we equip them for successful adult careers and a lifetime of growth.
Nurturing Environment
Providing a nurturing environment where children feel safe, happy, and empowered to cultivate their own 'Learning and Development' journey.
The Unique Child
Recognising each child as a 'unique' individual, valuing their strengths as the starting point for their learning journey.
Positive Relationships
Nurturing children to feel valued and encouraging them to make meaningful contributions to their own lives and the lives of others.
Enabling Environment
Creating an environment where children develop the confidence and voice to question, challenge, share ideas, solve problems, persevere, and make decisions.
Resilience & Self-Esteem
Equipping children with resilience, optimism, and a strong sense of self, along with essential life skills needed to navigate their educational journey and beyond.
EYFS Alignment
Aligning our practices with the Early Years Foundation Stage to provide the highest standards of care and education for every child in our care.
STEM in Early Years
Shelford Day Nursery is Cambridge's first early years STEM setting. STEM in the early years is an approach to children's learning and development that integrates the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, whilst at the same time fulfilling the statutory requirements of the EYFS.
We believe that engaging children at such an early age with scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical inquiry sparks their curiosity and potential for creativity, ignited by a natural desire to learn about, experience and engage with the world around them.
Our philosophy recognises that the experiences and activities children are exposed to during their early years are extremely important in promoting positive and lifelong skills and dispositions.
Our provision reflects four overarching principles
1. The Unique Child
We recognise every child as unique — as an individual who is constantly learning and who can be resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
2. Positive Relationships
We recognise that children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. We adopt a key person approach, where one practitioner assumes overall care and responsibility for a small group of key children.
3. Enabling Environments
We recognise that children learn and develop well in both indoor and outdoor enabling environments, where their experiences respond to individual needs and there is strong partnership between practitioners, parents and carers.
4. Learning and Development
We recognise that children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. Our provision covers the education and care of all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Our STEM approach integrates the four overarching principles into a clear pedagogy that understands each child as an individual. We recognise what every individual is able to achieve through appropriate setting provision, supporting them to flourish in their learning environment, and to build secure foundations for effective and motivated lifelong learners.
The Characteristics of Effective Learning
We understand that all children engage with other people and their environment through the characteristics of effective learning described in the Early Years Foundation Stage (DfE, 2021):
Playing and Exploring
Through being engaged in the learning environment and the opportunities that it offers, children find out about and explore, play with what they know, and are willing to have a go.
Active Learning
Being motivated to explore. Children concentrate, keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achieving what they set out to do.
Creating and Thinking Critically
Through using developing language skills and increasingly sophisticated cognitive thought processes, children have and develop their own ideas, make links, and choose their own strategies.
Supporting children to flourish
A STEM approach works in line with the characteristics of effective learning through understanding what is important to a child, what they are interested in, observing how they are learning, and being clear about what can be achieved through setting provision to support them to flourish and for optimum learning to take place.
Our core pedagogical principles further align with the four overarching principles of the EYFS and the three characteristics of effective learning, creating a joined-up, holistic approach to early years education.
Learning & Development
At Shelford Day Nursery, children benefit from a comprehensive approach to learning and development, providing the foundations for lifelong learning.
Blended Learning
Guided by supportive adults through enriching activities and purposeful play.
Tailored Support
Exciting play-based activities that track and support each child's progress.
Dedicated Key Persons
Monitoring progress and providing personalised support for every child.
Parent Partnership
Valuing and involving parents in each child's learning journey.
Fostering Holistic Development
Our curriculum, aligned with the EYFS, prioritises a holistic approach encompassing:
STEM-Driven Learning
Fostering curiosity, innovation, and critical thinking through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Exploratory Experiences
Understanding the world through hands-on exploration and discovery.
Health & Social Understanding
Nurturing personal, social, and emotional development in every child.
Physical Activities
Developing fine and gross motor skills through active play and movement.
Literacy Foundation
Building early reading, writing, and mark-making skills through stories, songs, and meaningful activities.
Expressive Arts & Design
Encouraging creativity and self-expression through modelling, designing, and working with a range of media.
Core STEM Skills & Attributes
Key STEM attributes emerge through the gradual development of core skills. Through our approach, children develop:
- The ability to ask probing questions
- The ability to work collaboratively with peers and adults
- The ability to think creatively
- The ability to solve problems
- The ability to explore and take calculated risks
- The ability to test solutions to problems
- The ability to discover new ways of doing things
Key STEM Attributes Include:
- Knowing how to function as part of a team
- Listening to others and hearing their ideas
- Using vocabulary and language skills to communicate effectively and with impact
Equality, Inclusion & Diversity
Underpinned by our STEM approach, Shelford Day Nursery aims to provide high-quality care and education for babies, toddlers, and pre-school children. We offer all our children and their parents a service that promotes equality and inclusion, and which values and celebrates diversity in an environment where every child is welcome and feels that they belong.
We are aware that children receive gender stereotyped messages from a very early age. Our STEM approach means that the range of experiences and opportunities for all children will help ensure they have equal opportunities to develop a range of skills and confidence, regardless of their gender.
Quality Childcare in Cambridge
Cambridge's first STEM day nursery. Please contact us to find out more about what we can offer you and your family.