Naphill and Walters Ash School

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Early Years

Early Years at Naphill and Walters Ash School

Aims

In Year R we look at each child holistically and aim to develop each individual to their full potential. We offer a positive, happy and secure learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, with dedicated staff devoted to enabling all children to play and learn. We aim to provide motivating first-hand experiences that encourage children to build resilience and foster our 5 R’s, providing them with a life-long love of learning.

Intent

Every child is recognised as a unique individual and we celebrate and welcome differences within our school community. We recognise children’s prior learning and experiences both from their home environment and their previous settings. We intend to provide children with a wide range of learning opportunities both familiar and new to engage and challenge. We have high expectations and encourage children to develop respect, perseverance and self-belief. We provide a safe and nurturing learning environment where children confident enabling them to take risks and make mistakes. This empowers children to make decisions, self-evaluate and make connections in their learning. We intend to foster positive relationships with parents and work in partnership with them sharing achievements and targets regularly.

Implementation

We follow the Early Years Statutory Framework (Updated September 2021) alongside the Development Matters Non-Statutory Guidance (updated July 2021). There are 7 Areas of the Foundation Stage Curriculum:

Prime Areas:

– Communication and Language

– Physical Development

– Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Specific areas:

– Literacy

– Mathematics

– Understanding the World

– Expressive Arts and Design

This Framework specifies the learning and development we must cover in our curriculum and the Early Learning Goals we are working towards at the end of the Reception Year.  All areas are followed and planned to ensure a broad, balanced and progressive learning curriculum. The children will build on existing learning, acquire new knowledge and skills and demonstrate their understanding through these 7 areas of the curriculum. We manage the learning in relation to the needs of the children. Teaching and learning is clear and well communicated, staff present information, prompting discussions and questions about the subject matter. Staff check understanding regularly and identify misconceptions to improve learning and adapt teaching as necessary to meet all children’s needs. Learning is delivered with enthusiasm through a variety of engaging topics each half term. Staff provide an environment with stimulating and engaging teacher directed and child-initiated activities which are well resourced and where possible give children first hand experiences to draw upon. i.e. real artefacts to handle and explore, practical activities, quality resources, visits from community members. Children have the opportunity to work independently, work collaboratively with their friends and with members of staff. Children learn best when playing and exploring, being active and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. Learning opportunities occur across our extensive learning environment consisting of the two main classrooms, a creative room, a technology room, an outside covered courtyard and an outside partially covered classroom. See the ‘Induction Tour’ of the unit below to have a look around. We are also a Forest School and your child will go to Forest School across the road in Bradenham woods every other week. We also regularly take your child’s learning onto the school field and into our extensive school grounds.

Our friendly and approachable staff start fostering parental relationships on our Induction visits with children in the Summer Term, before they start school in September. This develops further; initially through parental information forms, an induction appointment when starting school and then continues all year using each child’s Tapestry Learning Journal to share achievements and next steps alongside termly book looks, parents evening and targets sent home.

Impact

Children will have enjoyed coming to school and be excited to learn as demonstrated by views expressed by parents. Children at the end of Foundation Stage will have developed the essential knowledge, skills and resilience required for everyday life and lifelong learning. Initially this will be seen in the successful transition to Year 1. Children will have developed independence alongside the ability to be reflective and responsible. They will have made progress measurable from their starting points and achieved as many of the Early Learning Goals as possible. They will have developed the confidence to communicate effectively, take risks and be critical thinkers. This can be seen in high levels of engagement and concentration, the ability to question, reason and solve problems.

 Assessment

The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is completed during your child’s first 6 weeks of school. Your child’s achievements and next steps from this and other observations as your child settles into school will be shared with you at a parents evening in October. At the end of the Reception year your child is assessed against the Early Learning Goals and this will be reported to you along with your child’s report in July. Assessments are ongoing throughout the year and help inform our planning. These will be shared with you via Tapestry and parent consultations.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Mrs J Pascoe   Foundation Stage and Key Stage One Lead

Quotes from Parents:

2022 ‘Thank you so much for making x’s first year at school so lovely. He has really developed and we have loved seeing what he’s been up to through the Tapestry updates. He has genuinely enjoyed going to school each day and has made friends. The love and kindness you put into teaching shines through. We are so grateful.’

2022 ‘You’ve now seen through all 3 of my babies and I couldn’t have wished for better people to hold their hand.’

2021 ‘ X happily bounds into school each day, he certainly enjoys his time with you all even though he doesn’t find learning very easy. Thank you for giving my baby the support he needs to thrive in school. He has progressed and grown so much.’

Join us on one of our Open Events to hear from the Head Teacher and have a look around the school in person, on a tour led by some of our Year 6 children. You can also book a personal tour if you are unable to make these dates.