Early Years
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Our Early Years Department offers a caring environment catering for the academic, social and moral needs of the individual child in a bright and stimulating setting. We follow the Foundation Stage curriculum working to and beyond the Early Learning Goals, fostering a love of independent learning. This includes daily Phonics and Maths sessions to develop reading, writing, number skills and an awareness of shape, space and measures. The children work in small groups, sometimes in separate rooms, using a range of teaching and learning styles with lots of opportunity for play.
Each Pre-Reception and Reception Class (UK Foundation 1 & 2) is in the care of two members of staff.
Academic progress varies from child to child. Some children develop quickly at first and progress more gradually later on, while others may take longer to begin but, once confident, make rapid and sustained progress. Maturity plays an important role in a child’s development, alongside their individual abilities.
The Early Years Department benefits from its own well-equipped playground and a spacious Atrium, where different learning areas are carefully arranged for the children to explore and enjoy. These include opportunities for messy play, water and sand play, construction activities, imaginative play such as dressing up, singing, puppet role play, and focused table activities designed to support early learning.
A Crèche service is also available for Early Years pupils from 1:00 pm to 4:15 pm, during which a hot meal is provided.
Many children join the Early Years department with limited English. Our teachers are experienced in supporting children in this situation and have a working knowledge of several other languages to help newcomers during the initial settling-in period.
Once immersed in a fully English-speaking environment, children quickly gain confidence and begin to communicate more comfortably. In most cases, even the shyest pupils are chatting happily by the end of the first term, and any initial difficulties with the English language are usually short-lived.
