On entry to the school, 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. There are seven areas of learning development in the Foundation Stage: they are all important and interconnected.

There are three prime areas:

• Personal, social & emotional development.

• Communication & language.

• Physical development.

There are 4 specific areas:

• Literacy

• Mathematics

• Understanding the World

• Expressive arts & design

The outdoor environment is also a very special part of the Foundation Stage curriculum. As such it is carefully planned for and available each day. The reception class has its own specially modified outdoor area. 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 of the children’s experiences and attainments with assessments of developmental and learning needs throughout the school year. 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 structured reading schemes supplemented with a wide range of other books. We follow a structured approach to the teaching of phonics. Books are used 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 parents can help their child at each stage of their reading development. We aim to make all the children feel secure and confident within the school environment and develop a sense of achievement through learning, finding it to be a pleasurable and rewarding experience.

Phonics and Reading Scheme Information

Our school uses the Unlocking Letters and Sounds phonics scheme to provide an enjoyable and effective learning experience for our pupils in Foundation and Key Stage 1 and both these schemes enable our children to become proficient readers able to recognise letter sounds as they move up through the school.

This is paired with the Unlocking Letter and Sounds reading scheme which allows our pupils to progressively build their vocabulary and comprehension skills as they practice reading key words and become increasingly fluent readers.