Our Vision for Early Years

At APWG, we want every child’s first experiences of school to be happy, welcoming and full of possibility. When children feel safe, secure and valued, they gain the confidence to explore, build relationships and enjoy learning.

In our Nursery and Reception classes, we follow the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. We give every child opportunities to try new things, develop skills and build knowledge that will support them throughout school and beyond.

We know that every child and family is unique. By getting to know them and working closely with parents and carers, we can recognise each child’s strengths, respond to their needs and help them thrive.

Our Early Years Curriculum

At APWG, our teachers have designed a carefully sequenced curriculum for the children in our Nursery and Reception classes. It is based on the educational programmes in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework and enriched with experiences, knowledge and skills that reflect our children and community.

Children learn through play, exploration and activities led by adults. Our staff plan inviting and challenging experiences, taking account of each child’s needs, interests and stage of development. Children have opportunities to learn independently, alongside others and with adults who help them take their next steps.

The Areas of Learning

The EYFS has seven areas of learning and development. All seven are important and connected.

The three prime areas provide the foundations for children’s learning, particularly for our youngest children:

• Communication and language
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development

The four specific areas help children build knowledge and skills that will support their learning now and as they move through school:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

Phonics and Early Reading

We want every child to enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and books. In Nursery, children develop their listening and language skills and begin to notice the sounds in words. As they are ready, they are introduced to letter sounds through Read Write Inc. (RWI).

In Reception, children learn to recognise letter sounds and blend them to read words. As their reading develops, they move from short RWI “Ditties” to RWI storybooks matched to the sounds they know. Children also choose a library book to share and enjoy with their family at home.

Early Years Assessment

Our staff get to know each child through everyday conversations, play and learning. They use what they notice to plan appropriate support and new challenges.

There are also two statutory assessments during Reception. Within the first six weeks, children complete the Reception Baseline Assessment: a short, practical activity with a teacher covering early literacy, communication, language and mathematics.

At the end of Reception, teachers complete the EYFS Profile. They use their knowledge of each child to assess whether they have reached the expected level for each Early Learning Goal or are still working towards it. This helps us celebrate children’s progress and share useful information as they move into Year 1.