Early Years Foundation Stage

Our Nursery and Foundation classes offer a caring environment, full of exciting opportunities to launch children successfully into school life.

Positive development

Every day our littlest learners play, explore and develop and are nurtured by a really dedicated team of staff.

Learning Through Play

We provide an incredible range of experiences and activities that promote exploratory, child-led learning. The children’s daily lives are full of fun and our approach to learning inspires a sense of curiosity about knowledge and the world around them.

Exciting Curriculum

Our children engage with amazing role play opportunities and enriched experiences that encourage the development of effective communication skills. Our children thrive in an environment that promotes the love of reading and make amazing progress through our delivery of phonics.

Superb Spaces

We believe in creating incredible learning spaces in which children will flourish. The children have multiple indoor and outdoor spaces that they can access throughout the day. Our Reading Treehouse is a popular space and all our children love our weekly visits to Forest Camp!

Children in
Safe Hands

We believe in giving our children the best possible start to school life and are invested in developing a skillful and passionate Early Years team of staff to guide and support your child through their Nursery and Foundation years.
Our staff are all trained in the Trauma-Informed School approach, ensuring that the children receive a fully nurturing approach and all staff are highly trained in the delivery of phonics.

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Frequently asked questions

Are there any specialist teachers or teaching assistants?

We have one HLTA in each year group, teaching assistant in every year group and individual music lessons are taught by peripatetic teachers.

How are pupils assessed and graded during the early years foundation stage?

Children are assessed at the beginning of the year through the Reception Baseline Assessment. Throughout the year staff observe and assess children to ensure we have matched provision closely to maximise their progress. At the end of the year staff complete the EYFS Profile, assessing children as working at the expected standard or not. Profile data is reported to parents and parents would be made aware of concern areas and how the school is supporting their child to close the gap where possible.

How are pupils prepared for the transition to primary school?

We have a comprehensive transition to primary programme to ensure it is a positive experience for children and families. We host a parent and carer meeting in June to ensure families have all the necessary information before children start. Then we run two stay and play sessions in July. In September, we carry out Home Visits and then the children complete one part-time week of school, before beginning full-time education in their second week. Children spend their first two or three weeks getting to know each other and staff before their classes are decided. Children are allocated classes after the first few weeks based on relationships they have built with other children and staff members in the unit.

How can Current Families communicate with their child's teacher?

They can speak to them at drop off in the morning, collection at home time, phone the school office to speak to them or email them directly.

How does the school ensure that pupils in the early years foundation stage are safe and well-cared for?

We ensure that all children are safe and well-cared for through good pupil to staff ratios and a safe and stimulating learning environment, with appropriate adult support ratios.

What is the Curriculum for the early years foundation stage?

What is the average class size?

30 pupils.

What is the early years foundation stage?

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old. At our school, we have two Foundation classes and a Nursery which takes children from the term after their third birthday.

What is the school's approach to play-based learning?

All EYFS leaning is play base, following the EYFS Framework.

What is the school's approach to promoting healthy eating and physical activity?

All children complete 2 hours of physical activity a week and we have resourced our playgrounds to promote physical activity. We teach this through our PHSE lessons and encourage parents to pack healthy food in children’s lunch boxes.

What is the school's approach to promoting language and communication development?

We teach early reading through phonics (ELS) and the teaching of Oracy is incorporated into English and other subjects as we recognise that being an effective communicator is the most crucial skill for a child to go on to be successful in life.

What is the school's approach to supporting pupils with additional learning needs?

See the SEND page of the website for all information.

What support is available for pupils who are struggling?

We adapt learning in every lesson for children who require additional support and teachers would refer children to the SENDCo if they felt additional support would be beneficial for the child.

Any questions?
Something you’re not sure about? Please ask us and we’ll be pleased to explain.
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