The N approach

What's behind our approach?

With the help of leading experts, we’ve designed our own unique method to guide our work with children and families. We call it The N approach and it is based around these seven strands:

Experiential play

Advised by early years expert Dr David Whitebread, we have ensured that play is core to our learning. We deliver our curriculum through play-based experiences, designed to encourage our children to explore and thrive.

Educated educators

There is a direct link between the quality of education that our educators receive and the quality of education that they provide. We created the N Academy to support our educators with their personal and professional development.

Bespoke curriculum

Our learning programme is designed from scratch and is bespoke to each child, based on development, needs, and interests. It is devised on a daily basis through our personalised planning process.

Inspired teaching

Specific teaching strategies, influenced by our philosophical foundations are used to ignite imagination and curiosity in the children and allow them to learn through a variety of mediums.

Family and community focused

Family is at the core of everything we do. Through our monthly programme of events, families are supported with a range of key parenting and childhood milestones and are given an opportunity to make friends and build community.

Imaginative spaces

Every element of our nurseries are designed through the gaze of a child and their family. Our aim is to create an immediate sense of awe and wonder for every child, and every parent, that walks through the door.

Philosophical foundations and emerging evidence

We incorporate the latest in scientific and modern thinking on child development and behaviour with influences from a vast array of early years theorists and philosophies, including Reggio Emilia and Jerome Bruner.

Philosophical foundations

We incorporate long-trusted teaching methods with the very best of modern thinking on child development to create our own fresh approach. We take on board a vast array of early years theorists and philosophers, however there are two schools of thought from which we take specific guidance.

Jerome Bruner

Inspired by Bruner, we use a form of progressive repetition or ‘spiral’ learning. We explore questions and experiences with children which we revisit throughout their time at N, developing ideas with increasing depth.

Reggio Emilia

Educators inspire curiosity by researching new ideas and topics with the children. We also use the nursery environment as a ‘third teacher’ to create new learning experiences – including our Reggio inspired Atelier art room – allowing children to explore ways of self-expression.

The N curriculum

Preparing children for life in the modern world

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The N day

Our daily activities