Welcome to Early Years at St Mary’s CE Primary School.
At St Mary’s, we believe every child is uniquely created by God and deserves to feel known, valued and loved from the very start of their school journey. Guided by our Christian vision of “Investing in the Uniqueness of Each Individual”, we provide a nurturing, ambitious and inspiring environment where children develop confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.
We are committed to giving every child the very best start to their education. Through carefully planned experiences, purposeful play and high-quality interactions, children begin their journey to know more, remember more and become more as learners and individuals.
Rooted in our Christian values of Love, Trust and Hope, we encourage children to become curious learners, confident communicators, creative thinkers, independent problem-solvers and kind, respectful members of our school community.
Our Early Years Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed around the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and carefully planned to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding across the seven areas of learning.
Learning is centred around three children’s enquiry questions:
What is Special?
Children explore themselves, their families, celebrations, school life and their local community.
What’s Changed?
Children investigate growth, seasonal change, life cycles and how the world around them changes over time.
What’s Next?
Children develop their understanding of journeys, exploration, maps, habitats, communities and the wider world.
A carefully planned two-year rolling programme ensures children experience a broad and ambitious curriculum whilst developing the knowledge, skills and vocabulary needed for future learning.
Reading, Communication and Language
Reading and language development sit at the heart of our curriculum. High-quality texts inspire learning, develop rich vocabulary and encourage a love of stories from an early age.
Children develop confidence in speaking, listening, reading and writing through purposeful talk, storytelling, Drawing Club, Bug Club Phonics and meaningful writing opportunities. We want every child to see themselves as a reader, writer and communicator.
Learning Through Play
Children learn best when they are actively engaged, curious and motivated to explore.
Our carefully planned indoor and outdoor environments provide opportunities for investigation, creativity, problem-solving, physical development and first-hand experiences. Through play, children learn to collaborate, persevere, take risks and build independence whilst deepening their knowledge and understanding.
Spiritual Development
Spiritual development is woven throughout life in Early Years.
Through our Mirrors, Windows and Doors approach, children are encouraged to reflect on themselves, learn about others and make positive choices that demonstrate our values of Love, Trust and Hope. We help children to recognise that they are unique, valued and able to make a difference in the world around them.
Enrichment and Experiences
We believe children learn best from real-life experiences. Throughout the year, children enjoy village walks, church visits, visitors to school, seasonal celebrations, outdoor learning and opportunities to engage with the local community.
These experiences broaden children’s horizons, enrich their understanding of the world and help create lasting memories.
Working Together
We recognise that parents and carers are a child’s first educators and value the important role families play in children’s development. Through open communication, ClassDojo, parents’ evenings and daily interactions, we work closely together to ensure every child feels supported, encouraged and successful.
By the end of Reception, children leave Early Years as confident, resilient and enthusiastic learners, ready for the next stage of their education and equipped to continue their journey of knowing more, remembering more and becoming more.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Psalm 139:14
