At Edward the Elder we are committed providing the children within our Early Years setting with the best possible start to their education. We provide a happy, secure environment, rich in learning experiences for children of all abilities.
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We have a 52 place Nursery (26 morning and 26 afternoon) and a one-form entry Reception class. Learning within the Early Years follows the national EYFS statutory framework.
In Nursery children are taught I small groups and access child-initiated learning to support all areas of their curriculum – both indoors and outdoors. Children are taught pre-reading, writing/fine motor and maths in a practical and engaging manner. Much of the children’s learning is linked to topic/thematic or a purposefully-chosen story.
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In Reception, we begin to incorporate a more structured routine which involves the teaching of phonics, literacy and maths. Children may be taught in adult-directed groups or be accessing child-initiated learning. Thematic learning is based around a range of engaging topics which may involve a short teaching session followed by focus learning tasks or free-flow activities within the environment.
To ensure that we meet the individual needs of all four children, we complete regular observations of the children’s interactions, achievements, interests, skills and development of concepts. Within our Early Years provision we recognise the importance of an ambitious and language rich learning environment both indoors and outdoors. The environment is set up in carefully resourced areas of learning where children are encouraged to explore and learn.
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It is our aim that the children in our Early Years setting build a solid foundation for learning which will be an effective building block for them as they enter Year One. This will ensure that they continue to flourish throughout their school years and beyond.
