Quality Childcare and Education Nurseries | Private Day Nurseries
QCE Nurseries
Curriculum
established 2015
130 employees
Over 50 years experience
Rated 9.9 on Day Nurseries
established 2015
130 employees
Over 50 years experience
Rated 9.9 on Day Nurseries
Our Pedagogy
Having a clear and embedded pedagogy is essential to ensure all children and families who engage with QCE Nurseries can be confident in our consistent quality. Our very own Curious and Cosy pedagogy offers children a structured approach to wonderful experiences.
Curious and Cosy
Our Pedagogy incorporates a wide ranging array of priorities for every child, from our commitment to Kindness and to spending plenty of time outdoors every day to celebrating play in its many forms. Our teams are all trained to deliver this joy-filled pedagogy.
All About Play
At QCE we are really NOT focusing on formalised learning: we provide a wonderful, play-based day where children have a wide range of opportunities and the day is child-led. Children make choices, develop independence and play in a homely environment, spending much of the day outside and pursuing their own interests. We are not a school: we are a happy and playful learning environment.
Much More Than
At QCE we are proud to deliver Much More Than Childcare: this means we are committed to providing Forest School at every setting and across the week – not just one day! We also deliver Music and Yoga every day. Across the week we also deliver Woodworking, Gardening, Cooking and Expressive Arts. We use Makaton at every setting, and all children get time in our libraries and art studios. All these experiences are child-led: the children are invited to participate, and can always opt out if they are too busy in their play. Our teams respect the children’s wishes and promote consent. That is MUCH more than your average nursery!
Forest School
Every nursery has a Forest School Lead who supports the team to provide exciting and happy experiences outside every day. The children adore spending time in the Mud Kitchen, playing Forest School games, bug hunting, making dens and more.
Spend More Time Outdoors!
This is our campaign to make sure we really are getting children outdoors and spending quality time there every day. We know how beneficial time outdoors is for everyone: for mental well-being as well as Vitamin D, to offer children larger spaces in which to move and play, to encourage gardening and woodworking skills as well as managing risky play and encouraging games. We have ambitious targets for this campaign.
Our Curriculum
Our Curriculum is based on our BIG ambitions for every child. We created our own curriculum by looking at what we wanted to offer, and the ambitions we have in every area for the children. It’s a very broad and wide ranging curriculum, to meet the needs and interests of everyone.
Inclusion
At QCE we prefer to use the term Additional Needs, which we feel is more flexible and inclusive. Many children will need some extra support at certain times in their lives, and we aim to be there for each of them. We offer our unique Ambitious for ALL programme which can be used with any child who needs extra support. We are experienced in working with external professionals and therapists to ensure the most appropriate level of support and assistance. We listen to the parents and children before planning our support.
Kindness Above All
The overarching commitment within our pedagogy is our Kindness Code. Every member of the team from Apprentice to Director has signed up to this code in order to provide a kinder and gentler approach to caring for children. We are extremely proud of how well this has been embedded, and how the children themselves are in turn demonstrating kindness every day.
Safeguarding
At QCE we are of course committed to a culture of Safeguarding. We have been ahead of the curve in promoting Consent in the Early Years: we recognise the importance of asking children’s permission before touching or handling them, or taking their photos – and that No! Means No. By showing children respect in this matter, we hope to be teaching children skills that will keep them safe all their lives.
Healthy Me
We run a Healthy Me programme at each of our nurseries. This covers Yoga every day, and Cooking every week, as well as our commitment to spending more time outdoors, increasing physical activity and promoting oral health. Our Healthy Me Leads support the team to deliver on our goals.
Brilliant Babies
We are very proud of our Brilliant Babies programme which we rolled out early in 2025. We have a commitment to excellence, a nurturing and cosy environment and inspiring experiences both indoors and outside. All our babies are offered Music and Yoga every day, and plenty of wonderful play opportunities. Our team has undertaken Safer Sleep training, and we practise Safe Eating protocols. We have our own Weaning programme too: we work with you to ensure one consistent approach at home and nursery.
Path to School
This is our own programme we run for children in their last two terms of nursery before school. We meet with the parents to tailor each child’s individual pathway and work out the key targets. We focus on targets such as toilet training, independence with self care, socialising and expressing needs and wishes. At the end of June we close the programme and then celebrate the children’s Graduation. This has been an incredibly successful and popular programme that the children have really enjoyed, and parents have valued.
Our Pedagogy
Having a clear and embedded pedagogical approach is essential to ensure all children and families who engage with QCE Nurseries experience consistency and quality.
To simplify our Pedagogical approach six principles of our practise have been identified. These principles, and our pedagogical approach is based on evidence and research into early years learning and pedagogy. We believe, and research shows that children do best in an environment where elements from more than one pedagogical theorist (Such as Frobel, Montessori) work together in harmony to support the child.
Curious and Cosy
Our Pedagogy incorporates a wide ranging array of priorities for every child, from our commitment to Kindness and to spending plenty of time outdoors every day to celebrating play in its many forms. Our teams are all trained to deliver this joy-filled pedagogy.
All About Play
At QCE we are really NOT focusing on formalised learning: we provide a wonderful, play-based day where children have a wide range of opportunities and the day is child-led. Children make choices, develop independence and play in a homely environment, spending much of the day outside and pursuing their own interests. We are not a school: we are a happy and playful learning environment.
Much More Than
At QCE we are proud to deliver Much More Than Childcare: this means we are committed to providing Forest School at every setting and across the week - not just one day! We also deliver Music and Yoga every day. Across the week we also deliver Woodworking, Gardening, Cooking and Expressive Arts. We use Makaton at every setting, and all children get time in our libraries and art studios. All these experiences are child-led: the children are invited to participate, and can always opt out if they are too busy in their play. Our teams respect the children’s wishes and promote consent. That is MUCH more than your average nursery!
Forest School
Every nursery has a Forest School Lead who supports the team to provide exciting and happy experiences outside every day. The children adore spending time in the Mud Kitchen, playing Forest School games, bug hunting, making dens and more.
Spend More Time Outdoors!
This is our campaign to make sure we really are getting children outdoors and spending quality time there every day. We know how beneficial time outdoors is for everyone: for mental well-being as well as Vitamin D, to offer children larger spaces in which to move and play, to encourage gardening and woodworking skills as well as managing risky play and encouraging games. We have ambitious targets for this campaign.
Our Curriculum
Our Curriculum is based on our BIG ambitions for every child. We created our own curriculum by looking at what we wanted to offer, and the ambitions we have in every area for the children. It’s a very broad and wide ranging curriculum, to meet the needs and interests of everyone.
Special Educational Needs
At QCE we prefer to use the term Additional Needs, which we feel is more flexible and inclusive. Many children will need some extra support at certain times in their lives, and we aim to be there for each of them. We offer our unique Ambitious for ALL programme which can be used with any child who needs extra support. We are experienced in working with external professionals and therapists to ensure the most appropriate level of support and assistance. We listen to the parents and children before planning our support.
Kindness Above All
The overarching commitment within our pedagogy is our Kindness Code. Every member of the team from Apprentice to Director has signed up to this code in order to provide a kinder and gentler approach to caring for children. We are extremely proud of how well this has been embedded, and how the children themselves are in turn demonstrating kindness every day.
Safeguarding
At QCE we are of course committed to a culture of Safeguarding. We have been ahead of the curve in promoting Consent in the Early Years: we recognise the importance of asking children’s permission before touching or handling them, or taking their photos - and that No! Means No. By showing children respect in this matter, we hope to be teaching children skills that will keep them safe all their lives.
Healthy Me
We run a Healthy Me programme at each of our nurseries. This covers Yoga every day, and Cooking every week, as well as our commitment to spending more time outdoors, increasing physical activity and promoting oral health. Our Healthy Me Leads support the team to deliver on our goals.
Brilliant Babies
We are very proud of our Brilliant Babies programme which we rolled out early in 2025. We have a commitment to excellence, a nurturing and cosy environment and inspiring experiences both indoors and outside. All our babies are offered Music and Yoga every day, and plenty of wonderful play opportunities. Our team has undertaken Safer Sleep training, and we practise Safe Eating protocols. We have our own Weaning programme too: we work with you to ensure one consistent approach at home and nursery.
Path to School
This is our own programme we run for children in their last two terms of nursery before school. We meet with the parents to tailor each child’s individual pathway and work out the key targets. We focus on targets such as toilet training, independence with self care, socialising and expressing needs and wishes. At the end of June we close the programme and then celebrate the children’s Graduation. This has been an incredibly successful and popular programme that the children have really enjoyed, and parents have valued.
QCE Nurseries Pedagogy is based on the following six principles:
- Cared for, Safe and Healthy
- Playing everyday
- Harmonious relationships
- Ambitious curriculum
- Enabling environment
- Excellence in professional Practice
Care and education are not two separate entities, rather, they must happen simultaneously for children to feel secured and make good progress. Our practitioners ensure that secure and loving relationships are formed between the child and key person. It is only when a child feels truly cared for and loved, that educational and developmental attainment will soar.
Our practitioners learn the benefits of building professional love and how that presents in practice day to day. This links directly into the settings positive behaviour policy, children are gently guided and encouraged with patience, love and care.
Children thrive and feel connected when they experience a calm routine. Children have the opportunity to repeat and practice previous learning throughout their day, alongside new and different playful opportunities. Practitioners understand the balance between the values and constraints of routine to optimise it for the individual child. Our daily routine presents valuable opportunity to support and guide children, these elements of the day such as: meal times, transitions, sleep time, and personal care are completed with care and compassion.
The health of a child refers to their physical and mental health. Children are supported to begin to understand what it means to be healthy, through activities, conversation and practitioners setting a positive example.
All children learn best when there is access to a variety of play based activities based on child’s interests. Practitioners use effective communication to extend learning and concepts through open ended questions. At times, child learn best when adults simply observe, practitioners use their knowledge of the child and activity intent to gauge their level of involvement in the activity, ensuring all interactions are intentional and purposeful. Practitioners provide open ended play opportunity’s such a loose parts every day for the children to explore, children are allowed to take risks and are supported to manage those risk by practitioners. For example, older children use resources that are made of crockery or glass, learning that they need to handle them with care, or in the garden children are encouraged to balance and titre on crates and planks of wood to find their own balance and limitations.
Practitioners use collaborative thinking to support children to explore their interests fully and understand their thinking around that topic. Clear full English is used by practitioners across all ages, building vocabulary and confidence to share those thoughts.
The child’s interests and development needs are the foundation of the provision. Good relationships with parents which facilitate regular sharing of the child experiences, allows activities to be provided which capture the child’s interests (including play schemas). Knowledge of the child’s home life through this partnership will allow us to ensure all children develop their cultural capital.
The relationships practitioner’s and the setting build extend beyond the setting to other professionals, and the wider community.
Staff are always polite and courteous, working towards the best interest of the child. Between the team, open and clear communication channels are in place, in addition to a well-being officer to ensure staff are positive and supportive to one another. Support is offered to practitioners to maintain respectful relationships within the setting and resolve any conflict quickly.
The curriculum at QCE Nurseries is strongly embedded across the whole setting. The end of room goals ensures that high aspirations for the children are our goal at every stage of their development. Children have a wide range of experiences including regular real-life experiences in the wider community, for example visits to the market, library, and other local facilities.
Our goal is for every child to leave QCE's nursery working at expected level for their age and have had appropriate and enriching experiences, regardless of their starting point.
Children can explore a safe but challenging environment that encourages curiosity about the world around them. The environment created considers the sensory impact it has on the children, using calming colours, managing noise levels, and using calming lighting. Resources offer a variety of material, allowing the children to have a variety of tactile experiences.
The environment provides opportunities for children to rest and relax, along with a variety of activities based on the children’s interests and the curriculum planner. Children can independently access and chose the resource they would like from organised accessible shelfs.
We recognised that excellence in practice is developed over time with the support of positive mentoring and access to continuous professional development (CPD). Systems are in place to support all practitioners within the setting to achieve excellence in their practice day to day. Mentoring and support come not only from the setting leaders, but the whole team who share their knowledge and experience to guide new or training team members.