Dean Park Curriculum

We welcome children from 3 months to 4 years across our Hedgehogs, Foxes and Rabbits rooms, each designed to support children at their specific stage of development. Hedgehogs is home to our babies and youngest children (0–2 years), Foxes is our two-year-old room, and Rabbits welcomes children aged 3 and over as they get ready for school. Our team loves watching the children grow and develop as they move up through the rooms.

Set within Bournemouth’s beautifully converted Cooper Dean Pavilion, our nursery is surrounded by six acres of open space close to the town centre. Every detail inside – from the lighting, textures and fabrics to the inspiring books, prints and wide variety of resources – has been carefully selected around the child. Children are free to choose where they play, and our staff are quick to respond to their spontaneous interests, so learning always feels meaningful, engaging and child-led.

Our Approach to Learning

Our practitioners work within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), offering a broad curriculum tailored to each child’s interests and developmental needs. Everything we do is shaped by our four pillars – Creativity, Discovery, Nature and Play – because we believe children need to discover the world for themselves; we just need to bring the world to them.

Each room builds confidence and independence in an age-appropriate way. Our babies enjoy a nurturing environment with consistent care routines and close comfort, helping them feel secure. As children grow, we support them with toilet training and dressing themselves, and encourage everyday independence – hanging their bag on their peg, choosing where to play and tidying up after themselves.

Physical development is a big part of life at Dean Park, from our annual Sports Day – with javelin, quoits, beanbag throwing and mini hurdles for the older children, and a special event in the baby garden for our babies – to Olympic-themed weeks of running and sack races that build coordination, balance, teamwork and fair play.

We love welcoming visitors who bring learning to life. Firefighters from Westbourne Fire Station brought their fire engine (or “appliance”, as we learnt) as part of our transport topic, and Mad 4 Animals introduced the children to an owl, a snake, a hedgehog and a surprisingly friendly tarantula. Our two interactive smartboards add another dimension, letting children trace letters and play games that build early literacy and numeracy.

Feedback on Development & Progress

We keep you closely informed and involved in your child’s all-round development, with regular updates and observations that capture their progress. Learning achievements are recorded throughout your child’s time with us, building a full picture of their journey. Before your child starts, we invite you both to at least two settling-in sessions so you can get to know the team, and we’ll ask for your help in gathering everything we need to know about your child.

Transition to School

We want every child to leave Dean Park thoroughly prepared for “big school”. Through the Literacy and Mathematics areas of the EYFS, children learn to identify letters and numbers through games and play, both indoors and out. From their very first days they see their name on their peg, so that in time they can recognise it for themselves.

Practical skills matter too. Toileting, dressing and looking after their own belongings are all part of their Personal, Social and Emotional Development, so children move into Reception confident and ready.

In the months before they start school, we share each child’s learning achievements with their new teacher, welcome visits from teachers so children can get to know them, and talk with children about their transition events so they can ask any questions. We also work closely with Park School in Queens Park, where each Reception classroom has a smartboard just like ours. Each summer, our leavers celebrate with a Graduation ceremony alongside their families, ready for their next adventure.

Curriculum Projects and the Community

Community is important to us, and we were proud to be named a Bournemouth in Bloom winner in 2022. Our 3 and 4-year-olds have visited residents at nearby Windsor Court Care Home, sharing arts and crafts, stories and conversations about childhood – one resident even remembered playing cricket on the very ground where our nursery now stands. We’ve also invited local families to get creative with our autumn scarecrow competition, and our free Woodlands Baby Group offers sensory play and a friendly welcome for local parents and babies.

Parent Communication

We believe strong communication between home and nursery helps every child thrive – and Ofsted praised our “excellent” partnerships with parents in our 2024 inspection. Families receive frequent newsletters, and parents work alongside us through our parent-partnership committee.