Early Years Foundation Stage including Phonics

At St Mary’s CE Primary School we want our children to experience a curriculum that is broad and stimulating, throughout the early years learning through play is of key importance. In our Reception and Key Stage 1 classes (ages 4-7 years) the children are taught by two experienced full-time teachers and these classes also benefit from an additional two teaching assistants. Therefore our teacher to child ratios are high, and our children are well supported in their early learning. We place a strong emphasis on settling children happily into the learning environment and developing their key literacy skills.

Whenever possible we aim to make thematic links across curriculum subjects to provide the children with clear and coherent learning objectives. However, teachers will be encouraged to seize unexpected moments of awe and wonder by pursuing the children’s interests and thereby developing curiosity, imagination and general knowledge. A human sense pedagogy will be adopted, building on pupil’s prior understanding that will encourage them to link their experiences to their learning. The children’s understanding of the wider world is enhanced by comparing and contrasting their lives, and the environment with those of others; both in the past and the present.