The Foundation Stage makes a crucial contribution to children’s early development and learning. We provide children with a rich variety of teaching and learning experiences that are appropriate to their needs. The Foundation Stage is about developing key learning skills such as listening, speaking, concentrating, persistence and learning to work and co-operate with others.

The teaching to achieve these early learning goals will be through first hand experience
and structured play. The areas of experience will be linked to the National Curriculum.

The teacher and teaching assistant will keep records on children’s experiences and attainments. Assessments of development and learning needs will be ongoing throughout the school year. During the first half of the autumn term the teacher will carry out a baseline assessment for every child. This will establish where they are in aspects of their learning and development and help future planning. The results of this early assessment will be shared with parents at the parent/teacher interviews in the autumn term.

We encourage children towards reading, communication and mathematical skills from the very beginning. Much of this earlier learning is achieved through carefully structured play. Young children who cannot read or write often express their ideas and feelings through play. It is an important way of developing new skills and building up relationships with other children both individually and in groups.

Reading is taught through a variety of different structured reading schemes supplemented with a wide range of other books. Books are organised in a structured, graded way to allow children many opportunities for consolidation of key vocabulary. We encourage parents to work with their child at home by hearing them read on a daily basis. We are always pleased to discuss ways in which they can help their child at each stage of their reading development with parents.