Your ethos in every plan. More time with the children.
OurEthos is a fortnightly, topic-based planner for ages 2 to 4. It keeps every room's planning true to your nursery's values, covers all seven areas of learning, and gives your team hours back.
One file. Works offline. No account needed.
Planning was taking too long
My fiancée works in a children's nursery. She told me that planning activities with the system they had took far too long: a fortnight's topic across every area of learning, then writing up what the children gained and what comes next.
Every hour spent on paperwork is an hour not spent running activities, making observations and being with the children. So I built a planner that does the repetitive parts for you, using the format practitioners already think in.
It also does something for owners. When every room plans in the same structure, it is easy to see that planning covers every area and reflects the nursery's own approach.
“Can you make something that's quick to fill in, covers all of the EYFS, and shows how week 1 leads into week 2?”
The brief that started it
Built for the room and for the office
Practitioners: get your time back
- The same clear layout every fortnight, so you are never starting from a blank page.
- A link column shows how week 2 builds on week 1, written once rather than explained twice.
- Next steps carry forward into the next plan at the press of a button.
- Reuse past topics instead of rewriting them.
- Type on a laptop or tablet, or print a blank copy and write by hand.
Owners and managers: planning that follows your ethos
- Every room plans in the same structure, covering all seven areas of learning.
- See what each room and each member of staff is planning, in one place.*
- Leave feedback on a plan that the whole team can read.*
- Add your nursery's ethos statement so suggested activity ideas fit your approach.*
- Plans print on three A4 pages, ready for the wall or the planning folder.
* In the online version.
One fortnight, start to finish
-
Before week 1
Plan the topic
Choose a topic, key vocabulary and activities for each area. Note how week 2 will build on week 1.
-
During each week
Note what was gained
Jot down observations and wow moments for each area. Tick the areas the week covered and note what the children enjoyed, as a group.
-
End of each week
Write the next steps
Week 1's next steps shape week 2. Week 2's next steps shape the next fortnight.
-
End of the fortnight
Start the next plan
One button moves the dates on and carries the next steps forward.
All seven areas of learning, every fortnight
Written about the group, by design
You write about the group: what you planned, what was gained, which areas each week covered and what the children enjoyed. There's nowhere to record a particular child.
The free planner keeps everything on your own computer. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.
What it asks for
- Your plan for each area of learning
- The areas each week covered
- A short note about what the group enjoyed
What it never asks for
- Children's names
- Photos
- Dates of birth
Start free. Share it with your team when you're ready.
The free planner is yours to keep. The online version is being piloted with a small number of nurseries.
| What you get | Free plannerDownload, no account | Online versionPilot |
|---|---|---|
| Plan, review and "what the children enjoyed" sheets | Yes | Yes |
| Print three A4 pages, or a blank copy | Yes | Yes |
| Carry next steps into the next plan | Yes | Yes |
| Works without internet | Yes | No |
| Whole team, every room, any device | One computer | Yes |
| Library of past topics | Saved files | Searchable |
| Owner view of every room's plans, with feedback | No | Yes |
| Step-by-step plan builder for new staff | No | Yes |
| Your own activity library, with what to look for | No | Yes |
| Which areas each room has covered this term | No | Yes |
| Activity ideas that fit your ethos (optional AI) | No | Yes |
| Parent updates for your noticeboard or app | No | Yes |
Try it with your next topic
Download the free planner and use it for one fortnight. If you'd like to try the online version with your team, get in touch and tell us about your nursery.
Or email hello@ourethos.app
Questions nurseries ask
How do I open the free planner?
Download the file and double-click it. It opens in Chrome, Edge or Safari on a laptop or tablet. There is nothing to install and no account to create. It opens with an example plan so you can see how it works; press "Start a blank plan" to begin your own.
Where is my work saved?
The free planner saves automatically in the browser on that computer. Use "Save to file" to keep a copy of each fortnight, or to move a plan to another computer. The online version saves for your whole team.
Is it Ofsted approved?
Ofsted does not approve planning tools or require a particular planning format. Settings choose the approach that works for them. This planner follows the seven areas of learning in the EYFS framework, and keeps planning clear and consistent so it is easy to talk through.
Does it replace Famly, Tapestry or our learning journal app?
No. Those apps are built around observations, registers and parent communication. This planner is for the planning itself, and works alongside them. The online version can write a parent-friendly update that you can paste into your existing app.
What ages is it for?
It is designed for 2 to 4 year olds, working within the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Does it use AI?
The free planner does not. The online version has optional AI suggestions for activity ideas, which a nursery can leave switched off. Plans are written about the group, so that's all the AI ever sees.
How much does the online version cost?
Pricing is being set with the nurseries in the pilot. The free planner stays free.