At Elston Hall Primary School we are committed to providing the children within our Early Years with the best possible start to their education. We provide a happy, secure learning environment, rich in learning experiences for children of all abilities.
We have an 80-place Nursery (40-place morning, 40-place afternoon) and a three-form entry Reception. Learning within the Early Years follows the national EYFS statutory framework.
In Nursery, children are taught in small groups and participate in Child Initiated learning, linked to all the areas of the curriculum. Pupils are taught early reading, writing and maths in a practical manner. Much of nursery’s learning is linked to topic and a purposefully-chosen story.
In Reception, we follow a structured routine during the morning, incorporating phonics, literacy and maths. Children are taught in groups and, when not being taught, participate in Child Initiated learning. Afternoons are topic based and involve a short whole class teaching session followed by Child Initiated learning, with focus activities linked to the topic, allowing for free-flow between the classroom and outdoors.
To ensure that we meet the individual needs of all of our children, we make regular observations of the children’s interactions, interests, skills, and development of concepts. These observations are used to inform our planning for groups of children, for individuals and our provision for resources as appropriate. Within our Early Years provision we recognise the importance of a language-rich learning environment both inside and outside. The environment is set up in learning areas, where children are able to find and locate equipment and resources independently. The children are able to play and explore and ‘have a go’ at using all available resources; developing their learning experiences and most importantly through having fun in a safe and nurturing environment.
Children in our Early Years establish a solid foundation for learning which can be built on as they enter Year 1. This will help to ensure they continue to flourish throughout their school years and beyond.
