Welcome to Early Years

Welcome to Early Years

At Grove Lea Primary School we value the importance of Early Years Education as the beginning of a child’s learning journey throughout school. Our Nursery and Reception Foundation Stage Unit is made up of a 52 place nursery (26 places in a morning and 26 places in an afternoon) and a 30 place Reception class.

Our Early Years Leader is Mrs Wilson

Our Reception teachers are Mrs Walker and  Miss Smith, supported by Miss Hyde (Teaching Assistant).

Our Nursery teacher’s are Mrs Wilson and Mrs Burton, who work alongside Mrs Fletcher (Nursery Nurse), Miss Liversidge (Teaching Assistant), Miss Todd (Higher Level Teaching Assistant).

Every child deserves the best possible start in life and a right to be provided with the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five has a major impact on their future life. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. High-quality early learning coupled with valuing / supporting parents and carers, provides the foundation children need.

Curriculum and Planning

Within the Foundation Stage, we have developed our curriculum to prepare our children for Key Stage 1 across all subject areas. We have carefully constructed learning opportunities, which are underpinned by The Early Years Framework . The learning intentions are also informed by a thorough knowledge of child development enhanced by reference to the ‘Development Matters’ document.

The three Prime Areas are – Communication and Language, Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

The four Specific Areas are – Literacy (Reading & Writing), Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.

The three prime areas form the building blocks for learning and underpin our curriculum across all areas. Good development in all of these areas is essential for all other learning to take place. We pride ourselves on the promotion and development of Personal Social and Emotional Development and Communication and Language so that children can go on through school to reach their full potential. We develop Communication and Language through quality interactions in our provision.

Key principles when adults interact with children:

• Back and forth interactions;
• Comment on what children are doing;
• Echoing back what children say with new vocabulary added;
• The use of objects and pictures for non-verbal children;
• Taking turns and waiting for a child to respond;
• Positive body language;
• Facial expressions;
• Use of actions;
• Adapting language to meet the needs of individual children;
• join in with children’s play and comment, repeat back, wonder aloud and add new words to develop their language.

What our parents/carers think about EYFS at Grove Lea Primary...

“Fantastic Early Years setting. My child has come on so much. We are extremely pleased with his progress this year and are so happy he will be completing his next year of learning at the same school. Great outdoor learning environment that reflects the indoors very well”

“The staff are amazing! They’ve helped me feel reassured about my child’s learning and development and I wish he could have these teachers long term!”

“All the people who are involved with both my children are amazing. I couldn’t ask for better people to look after and teach my children. Grove Lea is a brilliant school”

“My daughter is thriving in Nursery and has made so much progress in the small amount of time that she has been there. She loves to tell me all about the things she has been doing and speaks very highly about all the staff that work with her”

“I am extremely happy and proud of what my child has achieved and it’s all thanks to the support of the amazing staff. Thank you for everything you do and continue to do”

(Taken from parent carer questionnaires)