Across the country, schools are working harder than ever to fill their nursery places. With falling pupil numbers and funding linked to enrolment, headteachers and EYFS leads know how important it is to attract families early on and keep them with the school for the long term.
The challenge is clear: parents have choices. From private nurseries to school-based provision, families are looking for settings that offer more than just care. They want a nursery that gives their child the best possible start to school – where phonics and maths foundations are built in from day one.
That’s where Mrs Mactivity can help.
Why nursery provision matters for schools
A thriving nursery isn’t just about this year’s numbers – it’s about securing your school’s future. When families join your nursery, they’re far more likely to stay with you into Reception and beyond.
For schools, offering something distinctive in nursery can make all the difference. Parents are reassured when they see resources in place that help children develop communication, early reading and early maths — all within a playful, age-appropriate environment.
Phase 1 phonics scheme for nursery – Rhyme Town
Our Phase 1 phonics scheme for nursery – Rhyme Town helps nurseries show parents that children are building essential early literacy while still learning through play.
The programme runs over 14 weeks and can be revisited across the year, making it suitable for nursery, the first term of Reception, or as an intervention for children who need extra support with Phase 1 phonics and early writing readiness. Each week includes pre-reading and pre-writing sessions, ready-to-use resources, and interactive presentations to bring learning to life.
Rhyme Town is built around the seven aspects of Letters and Sounds Phase 1 and centred on nursery rhymes. Children encounter a wide range of rhymes and rhythmic activities that strengthen listening, speaking, and early mark making in a joyful, memorable way.
The Rhyme Town activities are fantastic for helping children with phonics and early reading skills. The vibrant visuals, fun characters and catchy rhymes make learning enjoyable and memorable.
Emily, EYFS teacher (Trustpilot)
Nursery maths scheme – exploring number through play
Parents often ask how their child will be supported with early maths skills in nursery. Our nursery maths scheme gives schools a clear answer. It shows families that children are developing number sense, subitising, and spatial reasoning through play-based activities, not formal lessons.
The scheme runs across the whole year and links directly into Reception and KS1, giving parents confidence that their child will follow a smooth, joined-up learning journey as they move through school. For headteachers and EYFS leads, it’s also a way to demonstrate that your nursery offer is part of something bigger – not just a one-off year, but the start of their child’s long-term education with you.
Teachers tell us it works in practice:
The Nursery mathematics works perfectly in our setting and allows us to provide whole class teaching and then focus on those key children in the classroom provision.
Kate, EYFS teacher
By sharing this with prospective families, you can highlight that your nursery gives children a strong start in maths, reassuring parents that their child will get the best start when it comes to their understanding of number.
What schools and teachers are saying about Mrs Mactivity
Absolutely love this website. The wide range of resources across all subjects is vast and great when you need a bit of inspiration. As an EYFS teacher, Mrs Mactivity has helped me with morning tasks, phonics activities, maths planning and topic work. 100% would recommend.
Olivia, EYFS teacher (Trustpilot)
Absolutely adore this resource and I would 100% recommend this to all teachers for a quick, easy and simple way of finding high quality resources. I am an EYFS teacher and their EYFS maths scheme and their morning jobs I use every day and they save me so much time while enabling me to still provide high quality teaching.
Kirsty, EYFS teacher (Trustpilot)
If I could, I would give Mrs Mactivity 100 stars. I use this resource mainly for planning and resources for my nursery class. Thank you for this fantastic resource which saves early years teachers like me so much time.
Angela, nursery teacher (Trustpilot)
Helping your school nursery stand out
By resourcing your nursery with a clear Phase 1 phonics scheme and a nursery maths scheme, you can show parents that your setting offers much more than childcare. Children are immersed in play while also developing the foundations for literacy and maths. For families, this is a reassurance that their child will continue on a smooth learning journey from nursery into Reception and KS1 — making them more likely to stay with your school long term.
For headteachers and EYFS leads, it’s also a practical solution: ready-to-use planning, engaging resources, and a joined-up approach that supports both staff and children.
Try our nursery phonics and maths schemes today
Join thousands of schools already using Mrs Mactivity to enrich their nursery and EYFS offer.
- Explore Rhyme Town: Phase 1 phonics scheme for nursery
- Discover our Nursery Maths Scheme
- Start with a free trial today
Frequently asked questions
How does a Phase 1 phonics scheme help attract families to our nursery?
Parents want to know their child is developing early literacy skills. Using a clear Phase 1 phonics scheme like Rhyme Town shows that your nursery provides purposeful, play-based phonics activities that prepare children for Reception and beyond.
Is the nursery maths scheme too formal for 3–4 year olds?
No. Our nursery maths scheme is play-based and designed around the EYFS framework. Activities fit naturally into continuous provision and focus on exploration, not worksheets or formal testing.
Does the scheme link into Reception and KS1?
Yes. Both our phonics and maths schemes are planned to connect directly into Reception and then KS1. This gives families confidence that your school offers a smooth, joined-up journey from nursery right through the primary years.
Do staff need lots of training to use the schemes?
No. Both schemes include step-by-step guidance and clear weekly planning, so they are easy for newly qualified staff as well as experienced practitioners to deliver with confidence.
