Curriculum
Rooted in nature, united by song, growing together.
Based on the Early Years Foundation Stage
We have created our own bespoke curriculum based on the Early Years Foundation Stage by the Department of Education that is designed so our Blooms can thrive in every area. Our Curriculum is created around the acronym BLOOMS, which stands for 'Belonging, Learning, Outdoors, Open Play, Music and Support'.
We nurture secure relationships, celebrate every child's identity and foster a warm, inclusive community where everyone feels safe, valued and connected.
We inspire curiosity, independence, discovery and problem-solving through meaningful experiences that build knowledge, confidence and a lifelong love of learning.
We connect children with the magic of childhood in nature through outdoor exploration, forest school, growing vegetables and sensory activities, nurturing physical confidence, curiosity and care for our natural world.
We empower children to follow their interests, make independent choices, explore freely and develop creativity, resilience and critical thinking through child-led play.
We enrich children's development through live music, singing and learning lyrics, melodies, rhythms and patterns. This strengthens communication, fine motor skills and the ability to memorise and recall information – a skill which is essential throughout a child's education.
We provide responsive, individualised care and encouragement, working closely with families to help every child develop an understanding of their inner world, emotional security and confidence at their own pace.
Purposeful learning
At Root & Bloom, every activity, interaction and experience is guided by a clear educational purpose. Our approach is grounded in three principles: Intent, Implementation and Impact, ensuring that everything we do contributes meaningfully to each child's learning, development and wellbeing.
What goal do we wish to achieve with this activity or practice?
What resources, tools and time do we need to put this activity or practice into action?
What is the desired result from this activity or practice? What do we want the child to learn?
Our guiding principle: We create purposeful experiences that nurture curiosity, independence, confidence and development, while remaining responsive to each child's individual interests, abilities and needs.
This framework underpins all six pillars of our BLOOMS curriculum and helps practitioners plan, deliver and reflect on meaningful learning experiences.
Our daily activity guide
The tables below set out the activities and experiences we offer at Root & Bloom to support every Bloom’s learning and development. Each activity is underpinned by purpose, and we identify the areas of development it helps to nurture.
B — Belonging
Our intention: We nurture secure relationships, celebrate every child's identity and foster a warm, inclusive community where everyone feels safe, valued and connected.
Prime Areas: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language.
Specific Area: Understanding the World.
| Activity or Practice | Intended Learning and Development |
|---|---|
| Group games and activities | Developing friendships, cooperation, turn-taking, communication and a sense of belonging (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language) |
| Diverse books and toys | Recognising and celebrating different cultures, identities, families and abilities; developing respect for others (Understanding the World; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Affirmations | Developing positive self-image, self-confidence, emotional security and a sense of personal worth (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language) |
| Welcome songs | Building familiarity, recognising names, developing social connections and creating predictable, reassuring routines (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language) |
| Eating together | Developing social interaction, conversational skills, independence, sharing and positive relationships (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language) |
| Community playgroups | Building friendships, developing social confidence, interacting with unfamiliar children and adults, and participating in the wider community (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Understanding the World) |
| Museum trips | Exploring cultures, history and the wider community, developing curiosity, shared experiences and new vocabulary (Understanding the World; Communication and Language) |
L — Learning
Our intention: We inspire curiosity, independence, discovery and problem-solving through meaningful experiences that build knowledge, confidence and a lifelong love of learning.
Prime Areas: Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development.
Specific Areas: Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design.
| Activity or Practice | Intended Learning and Development |
|---|---|
| Storytimes and reading | Developing vocabulary, listening, comprehension, imagination, narrative understanding and early literacy skills (Communication and Language; Literacy) |
| Montessori toys | Developing concentration, independence, fine motor coordination, problem-solving, spatial awareness and logical thinking (Physical Development; Mathematics; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Counting objects | Developing number awareness, counting sequences, one-to-one correspondence, quantity recognition and early mathematical reasoning (Mathematics; Communication and Language) |
| Sensory activities | Exploring textures, sounds, smells and materials; developing sensory awareness, curiosity, descriptive vocabulary and coordination (Understanding the World; Communication and Language; Physical Development) |
| Baking and cooking | Developing measuring, counting, sequencing, fine motor skills, independence and understanding how ingredients change (Mathematics; Physical Development; Understanding the World) |
| Arts and crafts | Developing creativity, fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, colour recognition and self-expression (Expressive Arts and Design; Physical Development) |
| Intentional language | Expanding vocabulary, modelling sentence structures, developing listening and comprehension, and encouraging back-and-forth conversations (Communication and Language; Literacy) |
| Cause-and-effect experiments | Developing curiosity, observation, prediction, problem-solving and understanding relationships between actions and outcomes (Understanding the World; Communication and Language) |
| Colour and texture discovery | Developing sensory discrimination, descriptive vocabulary, sorting, matching and comparison skills (Understanding the World; Mathematics; Communication and Language) |
| Sports | Developing gross motor coordination, balance, spatial awareness, confidence, perseverance and cooperation (Physical Development; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Library trips | Encouraging enjoyment of books, early literacy, language development, independent book selection and familiarity with community resources (Literacy; Communication and Language; Understanding the World) |
O — Outdoors
Our intention: We connect children with the magic of childhood in nature through outdoor exploration, forest school, growing vegetables and sensory activities, nurturing physical confidence, curiosity and care for our natural world.
Prime Areas: Physical Development; Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Specific Areas: Understanding the World; Mathematics; Expressive Arts and Design.
| Activity or Practice | Intended Learning and Development |
|---|---|
| Forest school | Developing physical confidence, independence, resilience, problem-solving, sensory awareness and respect for nature through supervised outdoor exploration (Physical Development; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Understanding the World) |
| Nature walks | Developing walking, balance, observation, listening, environmental awareness and vocabulary relating to the natural world (Physical Development; Understanding the World; Communication and Language) |
| Planting | Understanding plant growth, developing fine motor coordination, sequencing, responsibility and awareness of living things (Understanding the World; Physical Development) |
| Watering and harvesting vegetables | Developing responsibility, independence, coordination, understanding of plant lifecycles and early mathematical concepts such as quantity and size (Understanding the World; Physical Development; Mathematics; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Seasonal treasure baskets | Exploring natural textures, colours, shapes and seasonal changes; developing sensory awareness, classification and descriptive language (Understanding the World; Mathematics; Communication and Language) |
| Birdwatching | Developing observation, listening, concentration, identification skills and appreciation of wildlife (Understanding the World; Communication and Language) |
| Nature exploration | Encouraging curiosity, investigation, sensory discovery, problem-solving and understanding of natural materials and living things (Understanding the World; Physical Development; Communication and Language) |
| Farm trips | Learning about animals, their habitats and food sources; developing new vocabulary, sensory experiences and understanding of the wider world (Understanding the World; Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
O — Open Play
Our intention: We empower children to follow their interests, make independent choices, explore freely and develop creativity, resilience and critical thinking through child-led play.
Prime Areas: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development.
Specific Areas: Expressive Arts and Design; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Literacy.
| Activity or Practice | Intended Learning and Development |
|---|---|
| Child-led construction | Developing spatial awareness, problem-solving, creativity, planning, coordination, persistence and independent decision-making (Mathematics; Physical Development; Expressive Arts and Design; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Arts and crafts | Encouraging independent creative choices, experimentation with materials, self-expression and fine motor development (Expressive Arts and Design; Physical Development; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Imaginative play | Developing creativity, storytelling, language, social understanding, flexible thinking and the ability to explore different perspectives (Expressive Arts and Design; Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Role-play kitchen | Developing imagination, social interaction, everyday vocabulary, sequencing, cooperation and understanding of familiar routines (Expressive Arts and Design; Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Sensory play trays | Encouraging independent exploration, experimentation, sensory awareness, fine motor coordination and early mathematical understanding of quantities and properties (Understanding the World; Physical Development; Mathematics) |
| Dressing up and pretend play | Developing imagination, self-expression, confidence, social understanding, communication and symbolic thinking (Expressive Arts and Design; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language) |
| Free painting and drawing | Developing creativity, independent decision-making, fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, mark-making and early writing foundations (Expressive Arts and Design; Physical Development; Literacy) |
| Books | Encouraging independent book exploration, imagination, early literacy, visual recognition, storytelling and enjoyment of reading (Literacy; Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
M — Music
Our intention: We enrich children's development through live music, singing, learning lyrics, melodies, rhythms and patterns. This strengthens communication, fine motor skills and the ability to memorise and recall information, a skill which is essential throughout a child's education.
Prime Areas: Communication and Language; Physical Development; Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Specific Areas: Expressive Arts and Design; Literacy; Mathematics.
| Activity or Practice | Intended Learning and Development |
|---|---|
| Live piano singalongs | Building memory and recall skills, developing listening, attention, vocabulary, musical awareness, vocal participation and emotional connection through shared musical experiences (Communication and Language; Expressive Arts and Design; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Percussion circles | Developing rhythm, coordination, listening, turn-taking, pattern recognition and collaborative musical expression (Expressive Arts and Design; Physical Development; Mathematics; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Learning instruments | Developing fine motor coordination, hand-eye coordination, auditory discrimination, concentration, musical exploration and cause-and-effect understanding (Physical Development; Expressive Arts and Design; Understanding the World) |
| Movement and dance | Developing gross motor coordination, balance, rhythm, spatial awareness, self-expression and emotional confidence (Physical Development; Expressive Arts and Design; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Songwriting | Encouraging creative expression, vocabulary development, imagination, sequencing, communication and the ability to remember and repeat simple lyrics and melodies (Expressive Arts and Design; Communication and Language; Literacy) |
| Exploring volume | Developing awareness of loud and quiet sounds, auditory discrimination, musical dynamics, listening and understanding of contrasting concepts (Expressive Arts and Design; Communication and Language) |
| Music from diverse cultures | Developing appreciation of different musical traditions, cultural awareness, listening skills, musical expression and respect for diversity (Expressive Arts and Design; Understanding the World; Personal, Social and Emotional Development) |
| Storytelling | Developing listening, vocabulary, narrative understanding, sequencing, imagination and recall through stories enriched with music, rhythm and sound (Communication and Language; Literacy; Expressive Arts and Design) |
S — Support
Our intention: We provide responsive, individualised care and encouragement, working closely with families to help every child develop an understanding of their inner world, emotional security and confidence at their own pace.
Prime Areas: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development.
Specific Areas: Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design, according to individual needs.
| Activity or Practice | Intended Learning and Development |
|---|---|
| Feelings and emotions activities | Developing emotional awareness, recognising and naming feelings, understanding others' emotions, communicating needs and beginning to develop self-regulation with adult support (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language) |
| Calm sensory spaces | Supporting emotional regulation, sensory comfort, self-awareness, concentration and a sense of safety and wellbeing (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development) |
| Key-person interactions | Building secure attachments, trust, emotional security, communication, confidence and positive relationships through consistent, responsive care (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language) |
| Adjustments for individual needs | Removing barriers to participation, supporting individual developmental progress, building confidence and ensuring inclusive access to learning experiences (All seven areas of learning and development, according to individual needs) |
| Picture cards | Supporting communication, understanding of routines, emotional expression, decision-making, vocabulary and independence, particularly for children with additional communication needs (Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Literacy) |
| Parent partnerships | Developing consistency between home and nursery, understanding each child's individual needs, supporting emotional security and strengthening learning through shared knowledge and communication (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; all other areas as appropriate) |
| Community events | Developing social confidence, belonging, positive relationships, communication, cultural awareness and connections with the wider community (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Understanding the World) |
