Thorncombe St Mary's
CE Primary Academy
Our Early Years Foundation Stage welcomes children from Little Acorns Nursery through to Reception, providing a nurturing, stimulating and ambitious start to their education. We recognise that every child is unique and create an environment where children feel safe, valued and inspired to explore, play and learn.
Our curriculum is carefully planned around the seven areas of learning, while also responding to children's interests and individual next steps. Through a balance of child-initiated play, adult-led learning and first-hand experiences, children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for future learning. We place a strong emphasis on communication and language, early reading and writing, mathematics, physical development and personal, social and emotional development, alongside opportunities to explore the world through expressive arts, creativity and outdoor learning.
Children benefit from strong relationships with experienced Early Years staff who know them well. Ongoing observation and assessment enable us to identify children's next steps quickly and provide the right level of challenge and support. Learning is carefully sequenced, with children regularly revisiting and building upon previous experiences to deepen their understanding and confidence.
In Reception, children learn to read through the Read Write Inc. phonics programme, giving them a strong foundation for reading and writing. Throughout the year, staff use ongoing assessment alongside the statutory Reception Baseline Assessment and the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile to monitor progress and celebrate each child's achievements.
We value the important partnership between home and school. We use Tapestry to share children's learning with families, celebrate their achievements and communicate next steps. Parents and carers are encouraged to contribute their own observations from home, helping us to build a complete picture of each child's learning journey and ensuring we work together to support every child to thrive.