“Strong foundations laid down in the Early Years, where children make consistently good progress across all areas of learning and development, pave the way for continued success throughout the school. Children … develop excellent self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence… [They] demonstrate enthusiasm and curiosity due to the extensive, high quality resources and reflective planning that support learning. Children’s well-developed speaking, listening, reading and writing skills are enhanced through the imaginative curriculum.”Â
ISI Inspection Report
Pupils in Nursery and Reception follow the Foundation Stage curriculum seven areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication & Language; Physical Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts & Design. They share a weekly Early Years Assembly and perform together in the Christmas Nativity. The Golden Rules of the EYFS and Pre-Prep form an important part of pupils’ lives, learning how to respect and help each other in all that they do. Responsibility is fostered through the opportunity to be the ‘Helping Hand’ of the week and an opportunity to be part of the Pupil Council.
Children may join Nursery in the term that they turn 3 years old on either a full-time or part-time basis. There are ten sessions in the week, five in the morning and five in the afternoon. The morning session runs from 8.10am – 11.50am and the afternoon session runs from 11.50am – 3pm. Children who stay for the afternoon session will receive lunch. The number of sessions children attend depends on their needs and availability, with all children required to do a minimum of 3 sessions. Children are accepted at any point throughout the year.
The day begins for Nursery with a variety of sensory activities and imaginative play. Throughout the day a gentle structure introduces them to the curriculum and allows for the development of literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils also enjoy sharing time, dance and drama, and a range of outdoor activities and games.
From the September after their fourth birthday, children enter Reception as full-time pupils. Reception pupils are considered to be members of the Early Years section of Pinewood, but they are also important members of the Pre-Prep department. They join Years 1 and 2 in a range of assemblies each week and share Pre-Prep facilities. This all works towards a smooth transition into Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2).
We operate the County Council’s Nursery Education Funding Scheme for eligible children in the Nursery and Reception. Please contact the School Office for more details.
