Welcome to Early Years
Our teacher is Mrs Woodall and our teaching assistant is Mrs Hancock. Mrs Cottey leads our new 2 Year Old provision.
In Early Years we love to learn through play and first hand experiences. Our wonderful indoor and outdoor areas enable us to explore, investigate, discover, create, practise, repeat and consolidate our developing knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes.
Lots of our learning comes from our own fascinations and interests and our teachers support us to develop as individuals. Lots of exciting things happen in Early Years. We have focus stories and rhymes each half term and we have daily phonics and maths sessions. Drawing Club and Story Dough are exciting part of our curriculum and engage the children’s imagination, develop creativity and strengthen mark making skills.
Reception children have Music and PE delivered by Specialist Teachers. We have a sensory den when we need time to relax, talk, self- regulate and feel calm. Each day we have a snack and toast time and we also brush our teeth to develop our self-care skills.
We have mini themes each half term. This year they are:
- Autumn 1- Me and My Community and Exploring Autumn
- Autumn 2- Starry Night and Celebrations
- Spring 1-Once Upon a Time and Winter Wonderland
- Spring 2- Are Eggs Alive?
- Summer 1- Why Can’t I Have Chocolate for Breakfast?
- Summer 2- Sunshine, Sunflowers and Shadows
(Please look at our Early Years Curriculum Framework for more detail.)
We use Jigsaw to support our Personal, Social, Emotional development and a music and movement approach called ‘The Whole of Me’ to focus on the fundamentals of child development that are vital for more formal academic learning.
Our teachers and teaching assistants keep in touch with our families via Class Dojo where we can showcase the wonderful learning we have been doing, share achievements and news. Each week Maths Monster (Nursery) and Mojo Monster (Reception) go home with our ‘Star Mojo of the Week’. It would be great if you could send us a photo via Dojo so your child can share and talk about their time with them.
Proud Clouds are shared with parents, so our teachers and friends get to hear about the amazing things we are learning to do at home or the times when we have made our parents feel very proud. These are displayed in our entrance. Our children have the opportunity to borrow a library book weekly to share at home and they have a ‘share book’ for any home learning activities.
Early Years Parent Information
Learning Showcase
Welcome to our 2-Year-Old Nursery Provision
We have a brand new provision for 2-year-olds. You may be eligible for 15 hours free funding. Visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to find out if you are eligible. We offer 5 morning sessions from 8.40am till 11.40am. Your child can start in our two-year-old provision on their 2nd birthday providing we have a space available. Places will be offered in order of date of birth.
Our provision offers cosy, inviting areas situated within our Early Years which prepares our youngest children for the next stage in their learning journey with us.
If you are interested in our 2-year-old provision, please contact the school office on 01642 561237 or come into school to pick up an application form and have a look around. You'll need to return the completed forms to the school office with your child's birth certificate so that we may take a photocopy of it. Mrs Cottey will then contact you to offer your child a place. You will be invited in for a welcome meeting, a settling in session and given a start date. If you have any questions please email highclarence@highclarenceacademy.org
Lead Practitioner: Dawn Cottey