The Katey’s House Curriculum

Our Foundations  

Children need to feel a sense of belonging and free to be themselves before they can truly explore, question and grow – it’s what makes everything else possible. Our five pillars shape learning throughout a child’s time with us. Together, they support not only what children learn, but the confident, curious and capable people they are becoming. 

Ready to Thrive 

Building healthy bodies, happy minds and emotional confidence. 

Children thrive when they feel safe, nurtured and understood. Our skilled and passionate early years educators build warm, trusting relationships with every child, creating a strong sense of belonging and a place where they can be themselves. We help children build friendships, understand their emotions and behaviour, navigate big feelings and develop resilience – learning to cope with challenges, adapt when things don’t go to plan and keep trying when something feels difficult. Movement, nutrition, our very own breathwork song and Restful Rituals programme further support children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, giving them positive habits and tools for life. 

Ready to Communicate 

Finding their voice and building a lifelong love of language. 

Communication sits at the heart of learning. Children learn to listen, understand, take turns and confidently express their thoughts, feelings and ideas. We encourage every child to find their voice, know that their views matter and have a say in the world around them. Through rich conversations, stories, songs and our Little Wandle approach, we also build strong foundations for language, literacy and early reading. 

Ready to Think 

Nurturing curious, confident and critical thinkers. 

Children are naturally curious about the world around them. We encourage them to ask questions, explore possibilities, make connections and develop their own ideas. Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), investigation and open-ended play, children learn to predict, test, compare, reason and problem-solve. Rather than always being given the answer, they are encouraged to think for themselves, consider different possibilities and learn through trial, discovery and reflection. These early critical-thinking skills help children become confident learners who are curious enough to ask “why?”, resilient enough to keep trying and increasingly able to work out “what could I do next?” 

Ready to Be Independent 

Growing confidence, independence and a belief in what they can do 

Independence starts from the very beginning. We give every child opportunities to make choices, communicate their needs, explore with confidence and gradually do more for themselves. For our youngest children, this might mean choosing a toy, feeding themselves or taking part in their own care routines. As children grow, this develops into serving their own food, getting dressed, managing personal care, looking after their belongings, using real tools and learning how to keep themselves safe. Our educators are there to guide and encourage, while giving children the time, trust and space to have a go, solve problems and feel proud of what they can do for themselves. 

Ready for the World 

Growing curious, caring children who understand that they are part of something bigger. 

The world is our classroom, full of awe, wonder and opportunities to discover. From finding a worm in the garden and noticing the changing seasons to exploring their local community, children learn about the people, places, cultures and nature around them and in the wider world. Through Planet Protectors, Water Warriors and Recycling Rangers, they discover how they can help care for our planet, while our growing areas bring farm-to-fork learning to life through planting, nurturing, harvesting and tasting. Along the way, children also learn how to explore their world safely, recognise risks and know when to ask for help. 

Purposeful play. Skilled teaching. Real experiences. 

Great early years education is about more than the activities children do – it’s about the skilled adults who bring learning to life. Our qualified, well-trained and passionate early years educators understand how young children learn and develop. They create purposeful environments and experiences that spark curiosity and build on each child’s interests and individual needs. Through relationships, conversation, exploration, repetition, challenge and play, they know when to step in to extend learning – and when to stand back and give children the confidence and space to discover for themselves. 

That is why how we teach is just as important as what we teach. 

The Katey’s House Way of Teaching 

The result? Learning that feels natural and joyful to the child, but is purposeful and intentional behind the scenes. 

Learning children can touch, taste, build, try, grow and experience. 

Our programme is supported by carefully chosen experiences and initiatives that help children put their learning into practice. 

Little Wandle – Building Strong Foundations for Reading  

Our Little Wandle approach supports children’s early language and literacy through a carefully sequenced introduction to sounds, phonological awareness and early phonics. Through playful, age-appropriate experiences, children learn to listen carefully, tune into sounds and build the skills that create strong foundations for reading and later writing. 

Zig-Zag Zumba – Movement that Builds the Foundations for Writing.  

The foundations for writing begin long before a child picks up a pencil. From the baby room onwards, Zig-Zag Zumba uses music and movement to develop coordination, rhythm, balance, core strength and gross motor control. As children grow, these physical foundations support the motor control needed for mark-making, pencil control and confident early writing. 

Our Bespoke Wellbeing Programme – Building Calm and Self-Regulation  Our bespoke wellbeing programme, created especially for our children, introduces simple, age-appropriate techniques to help children pause, breathe and understand their emotions. With our own breathwork song and Restful Rituals routine, children become familiar with calming strategies they can return to throughout their nursery day, helping them develop self-regulation, emotional awareness and positive wellbeing habits for life. 

Mini Makers – Real Tools, Real Skills – Coming soon to Katey’s House  

Children are trusted to create. Through woodwork, construction, atelier-inspired experiences and cooking, they plan, design, problem-solve and develop the fine motor skills and confidence that come from making something themselves. 

Children’s Council – Little Voices Matter  

Children learn that their ideas matter. They are encouraged to share opinions, make choices and vote on aspects of nursery life, developing confidence, communication and an early understanding of decision-making, as well as supporting their sense of belonging within the nursery 

Planet Protectors – Little Actions, Big Responsibility  

Our Planet Protectors learn that even small actions can make a difference to the world around them. Children take on special responsibilities as Water Warriors, Recycling Rangers, Garden Guardians and Electricity Explorers – from remembering to turn off taps and lights, to sorting recycling, nurturing our nursery gardens and encouraging their friends to care for their environment too. Through everyday actions, children begin to understand sustainability, responsibility and the important part they can play in protecting our planet. 

Green Grass Academy – Big Adventures in the Great Outdoors  

Our Green Grass Academy programme and planning takes learning beyond the nursery, making the most of local parks, green spaces and nature spots. Children have the freedom and space to run, jump, balance, climb, twirl and get their hearts racing, alongside opportunities to build dens, go on nature hunts, investigate seasonal changes and discover the awe and wonder of the natural world. These regular outdoor adventures build physical confidence, resilience, independence and curiosity, while giving children space to explore, take on new challenges and experience the joy of learning outdoors. 

One programme. A journey that grows with them. 

The foundations remain consistent throughout a child’s time with us, while the experiences, challenge and independence grow alongside them. 

Brilliant Babies 

Terrific Toddlers 

Powerful Pre-schoolers 

Prepared for School 

Because nobody knows your child like you do. 

You are your child’s first and most important educator. That’s why we believe the best early years experiences are built together. We listen to what you know about your child, share what we see and learn at nursery, and use our early years knowledge and expertise to offer guidance, ideas and support along the way. By working together, we can help your child feel understood, supported and ready to thrive. 

Staying Connected 

Daily conversations and regular updates mean you know more than simply what your child ate or when they slept. We want you to understand what they are discovering, what they are becoming interested in and how their learning is developing and how you can continue this at home. 

Parent Meetings 

Dedicated time to talk about your child’s development, celebrate their progress and discuss what comes next. 

Parent Forum  

Our Parent Forum gives families a voice in nursery life and the opportunity to help shape what we do. It’s a welcoming space to share ideas, provide feedback, get involved and have a say in the things that matter to you and your child. It’s also a great opportunity to meet other parents, build connections and be part of our wider nursery community.