The Early Years Foundation Stage
Halstead St Andrew's Early Years Foundation Stage consists of our Nursery, Rising Reception and Reception classes. Here, we nurture and encourage all of our children to develop a love of school that will form a firm foundation for their future happiness and success.
Based at Woodham Rise and led by Mrs Louise Spooner, our Pre-Prep setting is a happy and thriving environment where through our values all our children have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
A dedicated, highly qualified and caring team of specialist early years teachers, with an in-depth knowledge of how young children learn, guide the children’s learning. |
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We are acutely aware that pupils enter the Early Years Foundation Stage at a variety of stages both in maturity and academic ability. Children learn in different ways and progression in their learning happens at their own pace. We cater for children’s individual needs within each area of the curriculum, building on their existing understanding and experiences, always looking to take children forward to their ‘next steps in learning’.
Providing a broad and balanced curriculum across the three Prime and four Specific areas of learning as defined by the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage, we also add that little extra ingredient that is special to our school. Teaching and learning is lively and stimulating, in our enriching indoor and outdoor classrooms, with a mixture of self-initiated experiences and adult planned activities.
Research has shown that children achieve at their highest level when there is a balance of child-initiated and teacher directed activities and we strongly believe that we have this balance right. We place a great emphasis on Literacy and Numeracy right from the start whilst still ensuring that our children have the opportunity to be creative and imaginative thinkers and explorers.