Early Years
You can find details of the EYFS framework here.
At St Anne’s School, we pride ourselves on our Early Years Foundation Stage provision (EYFS). It is crucial that all of our children are happy, confident and well-rounded individuals with a love for learning. We believe in providing an inclusive, safe, secure, fun, friendly and stimulating environment that builds on each individual's experience, needs and interests.
Our Aims
At St Anne’s we aim to:
- provide a welcoming, positive and inclusive environment for all children and their families
- build on what your child already knows and can do and use the children’s interests and knowledge to plan the learning
- provide a well-developed and nurturing environment where children can independently access resources and feel safe to take risks and make mistakes
- provide free-flow learning where children have access to the indoors and outdoors
- provide a positive, safe environment where children have an 'I can' attitude and challenge themselves
- help children to make links in their learning
- embed children's personal, social and emotional development so children are happy in school and making friends
- ensure that children with specific needs are identified so they can receive appropriate support
- help children to learn about being part of God’s family and to grow in his love
Through our caring and nurturing environment, both indoors and outdoors, we aim to develop children to become:
- confident, independent and resilient learners
- active learners who are confident to take risks
- children with enquiring and inquisitive minds
- active, creative and critical thinkers
- empathetic friends
- trustworthy and respectful
- children who have time to reflect, practice, repeat and learn with no sense of failure
Getting Ready for School
Reception is the first stage of your child's learning journey at St Anne’s. A child starting school can be a daunting experience for parents and children so our experienced staff ensure the process is a positive and happy one.
, We will support you and your child by:
- an induction programme for children and parents which includes meetings and school visits to the school prior to September start
- providing a wealth of information about getting ready for school and life at St Anne’s
- reception staff visiting and calling your child’s nursery
- staggering entry in September, beginning with half days and increasing to a full day
- teachers contacting all parents so we are aware of your child’s individual circumstances and needs
What Learning Looks Like at St Anne’s
- children are encouraged to be independent in their choice of activity, as we believe this allows children to develop the skills that they need to become successful and happy learners
- children will learn through direct, first hand experiences in a play based environment. This allows children to develop the skills needed in preparation for their National Curriculum education that commences in Year 1.
- our staff are experienced in Early Years teaching and many have worked in nurseries previously. Our Early Years lead is part of the School Leadership Team.
- our staff work hard to support and extend children’s learning
- on entry to school children are assessed through observations, phonics checks and we also carry out the Government Baseline Assessment
- we continually assess the children throughout the year
- children work independently, in small groups and 1-1 with a teacher
- daily phonics is a significant focus and we follow the Rocket phonics scheme
- our ambitious phonics scheme links to our Rising Stars reading books and staff ensure children’s reading books are matched carefully to their secured phonics knowledge
- reading and the acquisition of new vocabulary are a priority
- a focus on early language, through conversation, high quality interactions and developing a love of reading and engaging with stories
- all children will learn together and intervention will be put in place when needed
- children have opportunities to cook and create art and music
- we have PE lessons twice a week where children are able to develop their coordination skills and balance
- we follow Diocesan EYFS RE programme of study
- we perform a Nativity play at Christmas which links with our RE learning
- we have an annual Reception trip linked to our learning
- ideas for learning are taken from the children’s interest and ideas
- we use the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework as our base for the opportunities and provision that we provide to children in their first year of school. This is a continuation of the learning and experiences they would have accessed in their nursery or pre-school setting. We following the guidance of Development Matters as to how children develop and learn.
Our curriculum is made up of seven areas of learning:
Prime Areas:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, Physical Development
Specific Areas (these areas build on and strengthen the prime areas):
Literacy, Maths, Understanding the World, Expressive Art and Design
Towards the end of the Reception year, your child’s teacher completes the Foundation Stage Profile for each child and the results are reported to parents as part of the end of year report. Each child’s level of development is assessed against the early learning goals. Your child's teacher will indicate whether they are meeting expected levels of development or not yet reaching expected levels.
How do we ensure our children are ready for Year 1?
- Children are happy and have positive relationships with others.
- Our end of year outcomes significantly exceed the national expectations. In 2021-22 82% of our reception children met the expected standard compared to 65% of children nationally.
- Children will read with confidence and are able to write a simple sentence.
- Our provision enables children to embrace learning in Year 1 with confidence, independence and positivity, as they look forward to the new challenges ahead.
What St Anne’s can offer:
- large well-resourced classrooms with role play, construction, writing and maths areas
- healthy snack area in the classroom where children can help themselves to fruit and water throughout the day
- free healthy lunches for all infant children
- a very large reception garden where children are able to develop their independence and become active and inquisitive learners. Areas include digging, mud kitchen, growing, climbing mountain, role play, art and construction.
- a covered outdoor learning area where we carry out forest school activities such as toasting marshmallows around a camp fire and creating art from natural materials
- an all-purpose astro pitch and tennis court which enable children to develop their skills in different environments
- breakfast and Afterschool clubs where children’s social and physical needs are catered for
- skilled staff – nursery trained and with a wealth of experience
How We Help Parents:
- we work in partnership with parents to provide learning opportunities for all children
- we keep parents informed about their child’s progress
- we send a weekly email home to inform parents of upcoming learning and information
- we hold workshops where we encourage parents to come and work alongside their children and experience the different ways they can support their children at home