Welcome to St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School - EYFS Reception

 

At St. Joseph's, a small village primary school with a Catholic ethos, we are dedicated to providing a nurturing and enriching environment for our youngest learners. Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) lays the crucial groundwork for our children's future academic and personal success.

Fostering Independence and a Love of Learning

Our intent in the EYFS is to cultivate independent learners who are excited to come to school and develop a lifelong passion for learning. We aim to give each child a broad range of knowledge and skills that will provide a solid foundation for their continued progress throughout their school journey. Importantly, we foster resilience, confidence, and self-assurance in our children, empowering them to become capable and self-assured individuals.

      

Respecting Diversity and Individual Needs

We recognise that all our children are unique with varying life experiences. We respect that they will begin their educational journey with different starting points, and we adapt our learning opportunities to meet their individual needs and interests. Our commitment to ensuring that every child makes good progress and none are left behind is unwavering.

Partnering with Parents and the Community

We acknowledge that parents and carers are our children's first educators, and we strive to establish positive, transparent, and clear communication from the very first day a child starts at our school. This partnership between home and school is essential in providing the best possible education and support for our children.

We have an open door policy and we regularly update home with pictures and news via Classdojo. 

Creating an Enabling Environment

Our EYFS setting is designed to be a nurturing, enriching, and adaptable learning environment that builds upon children's previous experiences and prior learning. We offer a wide range of engaging and responsive experiences to cater to the individual needs of all our children.

 

 

 

Our Gospel Values in Action

At the heart of our EYFS provision are the Gospel values that underpin everything we do at St. Joseph's. As we learn and play alongside one another, we strive to demonstrate love, care, and forgiveness in all our interactions, fostering an atmosphere of respect and belonging.  

                                                                                                  

We warmly invite you to visit our school and see our EYFS in action, where our mission of "We care, we belong, we learn together in faith" is brought to life every day.

At St. Joseph's, we are dedicated to providing our youngest learners with a nurturing and enriching educational experience that lays the foundation for a lifetime of success. As a Voluntary Aided School, we are committed to our Catholic ethos, which is woven throughout our curriculum and daily life.

Our Curriculum Approach

Our EYFS curriculum is designed to support the holistic development of each child, focusing on the three prime areas of Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, and Communication and Language. We also provide engaging learning opportunities in the four specific areas of Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design.

Central to our approach are the characteristics of effective learning - Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically. We believe that nurturing these skills will empower our children to become confident, curious, and independent learners.

Fostering Communication and Language

We recognise the vital importance of strong communication and language skills, which underpin all areas of learning and development. Our staff are dedicated to modelling high-quality interactions, engaging in sustained shared thinking, and providing ample opportunities for children to express themselves through speaking and listening.

Promoting Personal, Social, and Emotional Development

Guided by our school's core Gospel values of love, care, and forgiveness, we prioritise the personal, social, and emotional development of our children. Through our daily interactions, we aim to help each child develop a positive self-image, build resilience, and learn to navigate relationships with empathy and respect.

Enriching Experiences

To further enhance our children's learning and cultural capital, we provide a variety of enriching experiences, such as visits from local professionals, visits to the local library and around the local area as well as trips to museums and farms. These opportunities allow our children to explore the world around them and develop a deeper understanding of their community and the  society in which they live.