Miss Sarah Whatnell
Early Years Lead
Early Years is the foundation upon which children develop and build a curiosity and love for learning. In Foundation Stage, we aim to develop the whole child in an environment which nurtures, encourages and fosters in children an early understanding of what learning is and how to be a good learner through a play curriculum and one that follows the statutory Early Years Framework.
We aim:
- To provide a purposeful learning environment which enables all the children’s learning needs to be met and where the children feel happy and secure.
- To provide an environment which encourages the skills of investigation and questioning without the fear of failure.
- For each child to develop a growing sense of their own self-image and worth.
- To provide opportunities for children to develop socially, emotionally, physically and academically.
- To be inclusive and provide equality of opportunity regardless of race, gender or disability.
- To ensure an approach which reflects the diverse society in which we live.
- To provide an active learning environment where sound basic skills and concepts are developed and the foundations laid for the National Curriculum.
- To provide the opportunities for children to develop.
In order to achieve these aims, we need to take into account that young children differ from each other in personal characteristics, levels of maturity, intellectual development, range of experience and in the ability to cope in social situations. Every child is individual and unique.
Initially, most of their learning will be child-led and so we plan and organise a rich and varied environment whereby the children will develop positive attitudes to their learning and build on their understanding of the world and their place in it. This is supported through the child’s first hand experience using purposeful play and real life situations. Through independent busy learning, children are able to develop at their own pace and practise skills which they will be able to apply to their lifelong learning. Alongside child-led learning, precise teaching in small groups is delivered daily to support children in acquiring basic skills in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
