At St Helens, the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum forms the underpinning and overarching framework for learning and development, for all of the children in our care.

We intend to enable our children to learn through play, experimentation and exploration, while making friends, developing social skills and cultural capital. We strongly believe in first hand learning, valuing the importance of the outdoor environment to develop children’s thinking and problem solving skills. We understand the importance of practical learning experiences and strive to equip children with a love of learning and a natural curiosity.

In order to implement this we listen to our children and those who care for them and use this information to personalise each child’s learning. We make regular assessments of children’s learning and we use this to information to ensure that future planning reflects identified needs and next steps. We have created an environment that fosters self-esteem and self-efficacy to take forward into the school and beyond. 

The impact of this will be measured by the children making the progress that they are capable of. We believe that early identification of additional learning needs supports this. We are committed to giving our children the best possible start to their school life, teaching them skills which ensure their well-being now and success in the future.