Foundation Stage

Welcome to Early Years!  

At St Mary's Catholic Primary School, we take a holistic approach to education and encompasses all areas of learning and development. We believe that all children are entitled to the best possible start in their school life, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually to enable them to develop their full potential.  Children develop quickly in these early years, so we look to ensure that all children are provided with the highest quality early learning experiences,  as we understand that during their first years of education, children form attitudes about learning that will last a lifetime. Children who receive the right sort of support and encouragement during these years will be creative and adventurous learners throughout their lives. 

Meet the Staff

Miss Viggars Early Years Leader

Nursery and Reception Class Teacher

Miss Meredith 

Nursery and Reception Teaching Assistant 

SUCCESS IS NOT FINAL, FAILURE IS NOT FATAL: IT IS THE COURAGE TO CONTINUE THAT COUNTS.

Winston S. Churchill

The children in EYFS have blown me away with their work ethic and determination during this period of Home Learning. If you would like to find out more about our Home Learning experience, please check out our Home Learning tab. 

Spring 1: Once Upon a Time

This Half Term we are learning about Traditional Tales. The books we will be focusing on are:

Goldilocks and the 3 Bears,

Gingerbread Man,

Little Red Riding Hood,

Jack and the Beanstalk,

Elves and the shoemaker.

During this half term, we will enjoy learning about cooking, creating, growing and stranger danger. 

Development Matters

What is it?

Development Matters was produced by Early Education with support from the Department for Education. It is non-statutory guidance which supports all those working in early childhood education settings to implement the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the EYFS.

Development Matters demonstrates how the four themes of the EYFS Framework and the principles that inform them work together to support the development of babies, toddlers and young children within the context of the EYFS framework.  The document also illustrates how the ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ may be supported and extended by adults as well as how they underpin the ‘Prime’ and ‘Specific’ areas of learning and development. The age/stage bands overlap because these are not fixed age boundaries but suggest a typical range of development. When using Development Matters it is, however, important to remember that babies, toddlers and young children develop at their own rates and in their own ways.  The development statements and their order are not necessary steps for every child and should not be used as checklists.

Development matters