2YO – Caterpillars

We are proud to offer a high-quality, nurturing provision for two-year-old children within our school community. Our setting provides a safe, stimulating, and welcoming environment where young children can develop confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning from the very start of their educational journey.

We offer up to 30 funded places, with 15 places available in the morning and 15 in the afternoon, including access to the 30-hour childcare provision for eligible families. Our two-year-old provision is set in a dedicated space specifically designed to meet the developmental needs of our youngest learners, allowing them to explore, play, and learn in a calm and supportive environment.

Children are supported by a team of highly experienced and appropriately qualified staff who are skilled in early years practice and committed to building strong, positive relationships with every child and family. Learning is delivered through carefully planned play-based experiences that support children’s development across all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

At New York we are a Flagship Inclusion Quality Mark school and work closely with families and relevant professionals to ensure the individual needs or our pupils are identified and supported

By working in close partnership with parents and carers, we ensure that every child feels secure, valued, and supported as they take their first steps in school life.

In our two-year-old provision, we offer a carefully selected range of high-quality books that we focus on throughout each term. These core texts inspire a variety of engaging activities, giving children the opportunity to take part in creative crafts and hands-on experiences linked to the story and their own life experiences. We encourage children to make connections between the books we share and their own lives, helping to deepen their understanding and develop their communication and language skills.

Our two-year-old practitioners are trained in delivering high-quality interactions that are individual, frequent and intentional. Using both the SHREC approach and the 3A approach, staff carefully support and extend children’s communication, thinking and learning through meaningful conversations and responsive engagement.

Each week we enjoy Tasty Tuesday, where children begin to develop their love of food and cooking. We choose simple, exciting recipes that allow the children to be actively involved, working together with staff as a team to prepare and taste their finished creations. This also provides valuable opportunities for children to talk about food they enjoy at home and share their own experiences.

We make the most of our school environment. We often put on our wellies and head outdoors to explore the woodland areas and school grounds, usually with a focused task or nature-based activity to enhance our learning and link to children’s interests and experiences.

On Physical Friday, we visit the hall to take part in active play experiences. Children are encouraged to move in a variety of ways — running, climbing, balancing, jumping and travelling — using age-appropriate PE equipment. These sessions help to develop core strength, coordination, balance and spatial awareness, supporting children’s growing independence, confidence and gross motor development.

Children who are here for 30 hours will stay for lunch and have lunch together, children are to bring a packed lunch each day.  Timings for the 2 year Nursery are; AM session is 8:30-11:30 PM session is 12:30-3:30 and all day sessions for 30 hour children are 8:30-3pm with the option of an additional 30 minute wrap around session for a small charge payable to the office when booked. 

We have a sleep room for children who require a nap. Staff ensure children have a box with their bedding in for each day along with comforters and dummies which your child may need to get to sleep.

Whilst parents can access this provision through relevant government funding we also offer additional hours to parents who might need support over and above the allocated hours.  Please click on the link to access the extra information relating to this

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