Early years is the first step into joining our school and our wider school community, so we have created a nurturing and safe space to help with this transition. We pride ourselves on our close relationships with all the children and their families; valuing parental partnerships and the crucial role parents play in their children’s education. One of the ways we keep parents informed about their child’s development is via access to the ‘Evidence Me’ app. This app captures the key moments in their child’s development and photographs are sent directly to parents each week. Parents are encouraged to add to these and share any home experiences and moments they are proud of.
Play is an integral part of learning and this is at the heart of our early years curriculum. We plan for a mix of adult directed and uninterrupted child initiated play to ensure the best outcomes for pupils. Our knowledge of each child as an individual learner means we know what the childrens’ current interests are and therefore how to support their next steps in learning. In the areas of provision skilled staff support the children by providing ideas, promoting critical thinking and independence, and developing perseverance. As well as being driven by children’s interests, our curriculum is also planned to include weekly activities which support a love of reading, provide opportunities to develop social skills, and build a greater understanding of the world around them.
Systematic teaching of phonics through the ‘Little Wandle’ scheme, alongside enhancements to the different areas of learning in the classroom, opens all our pupils up to the joys of reading from the very start of their school life. Our stimulating environment consistently provides exciting opportunities, promotes curiosity, adventure and a real love of learning. We are very fortunate at Scarcroft to have a wide variety of learning areas: 3 indoor classrooms for 2 classes to share, a purpose built outdoor classroom and a forest school site we share with local company ‘Wild Things’. We prioritise creating a ‘language rich’ environment through the use of songs, nursery rhymes and stories, as well as providing quality interactions both between adults and between peers.
Children leave EYFS with a positive attitude to learning, and an ability to demonstrate high levels of concentration. Staff model and encourage listening skills and offer opportunities for pupils to engage positively with adults and peers. Pupils develop into active learners who are ready to take the next steps with their learning.