Then and now

In June 2019 we achieved an ‘Outstanding’ grading in our EYFS department. Now we want to keep building upon this and we have trained all of our EYFS staff on promoting awe and wonder in our learning environments.

We have scaled back our learning environments to promote language and a sense of home in each classroom.

Displays are backed and placed on a grey backing to promote language rather than over power children.

Lighting is dimmed and softened with twinkle lights as well as lamps to create homely space.

There are minimal chairs in the Reception classes and no chairs in the nursery. This encourages children to develop their core strength and muscles. All of which are needed to support their gross motor skills and in turn develop their writing skills...Children aged 3,4 and 5 were not built to sit at chairs!

We have committed ourselves to removing a % of plastic from our classrooms each year to ensure we are committed to a sustainable curriculum. We need to care for our world for our future generations! We need to teach our children to care for the world in which the live n.

We have cosy zones in the classrooms where children can curl up and read a book, interact with their friends and develop a greater self esteem.

We have introduced open ended resources that are natural or recycled. This promotes respect for the equipment in the classrooms and a sense of ownership. Children are quick to pick up and realise that a china cup is needs a lot more respect than a plastic cup that bounces when it is dropped.

We have begun to change our table to wooden pallets, covered in hessian. This more natural approach to learn takes away the over stimulation that can occur in classrooms and allows children to concentrate on the task at hand….learning!

We continue to develop everyday….reflecting and improving upon our practice to ensure we can be the best we can be for our youngest children...they only get one shot at a great education!