EARLY YEARS
EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION
AGE 3-5
Children take delight in exploring the new
& unknown through a play-based curriculum that responds to their interests.
Our Preschool is a happy and vibrant place for children to learn and grow. A carefully planned environment and nurturing, experienced teachers result in a very special place for your child to take their first steps in education.
A structured yet flexible play-based curriculum reflects our school's values, and the many areas of development we stimulate through learning and experiences. Children are encouraged to enquire, solve problems and discover the world around them.
APPROACHES TO LEARNING
‘Learning by doing’ is an everyday occurrence in the classroom, where children’s ideas and participation are celerbated.
Small class sizes enable us to get to know the children and their families well, quickly forming positive relationships. We assess learning and development through frequent observations, including written notes, photographs and videos that are documented and shared with parents through digital learning journals.
Our Preschool is guided by the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach, enocuraging students to be active in their own learning and pursue their own lines of enquiry. The layout of our Preschool reflects this, with clear zones to encourage different types of learning, be it construction, role-play, literacy or creative expression.
Resources are open to children to self-select and we are proud of the mutual care and respect our youngest students show to the environment and each other.
AREAS OF LEARNING
Children have an exciting weekly schedule with all the benefits of being on a whole-school campus.
The family feel of our school is one of its defining characteristics, and our youngest students are able to take advanatge of an incredible specialist programme of Art, Music and Physical Education lessons with specialist teachers in dedicated on-site facilities.
The Preschool day is delineated into periods of learning with an activity focus on Literacy, Numeracy, Child-Initiated Learning (CIL) and specialist blocks in the afternoon. This also includes regular use of the school's ecological garden and green house and an outdoor learning deck for sensory play and tactile activities.
REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES
Daily outdoor learning & regular trips into the wider community give students rich experiences.
Experiences in the real-world inspire students and prompt further and deeper investigation. We have an extremely frequent programme of trips that link to children's learning. Discovery, questioning and new experiences are encouraged.
Our teachers nurture and support every child as an individual; instilling within them the confidence to be brave in their discoveries and to relish the innate joy of finding out something new. Every day is an exciting adventure with us, and a celebration of that wonderful curiosity that characterises childhood.
