St Gregory’s Little Acorn’s Nursery and Reception Classes
Our Early Years Leader
Mrs Ashley
Teachers
Mrs A Wilson
Miss L Coates
Our Early Years Support Staff
Miss A Stott, Miss N Stewart and Mrs K Thomas
Intent
As adults we support our pupils by:
- Fostering a desire to learn by nurturing active questioning and an awareness of the world around them
- Encouraging children to express their thoughts and ideas in a variety of situations.
- Helping children to become competent speakers and listeners.
- Developing confidence by praising success and encouraging effort.
- Learning through play and experience learning firsthand.
Our Curriculum
Our early years setting follows the curriculum as outlined in the 2025 statutory framework of the EYFS.
There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early year’s settings. All areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.
The three PRIME AREAS are: 
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication & Language
In addition to these prime areas there are four specific areas which include essential skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society.
The four SPECIFIC AREAS are:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
These areas are cohesively delivered throughout the topic. They are equally important and depend on each other. All areas are delivered through a balance of adult led and child-initiated activities.
Our Outdoor Area
The EYFS classes have their own outdoor areas that are used all year round, in all weathers. Being outdoors encourages learning in different ways. It offers the children more opportunities to be creative and explore on a larger scale as well as to be physically active linking the indoors and outdoors together.
In addition to the areas of learning, we strive for our children to develop effective Characteristics of Effective Learning which will enable them to become learners for life.
Playing and Exploring – Children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
Active Learning – Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
Creating and Thinking Critically – Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things
Implementation
The EYFS is based upon four principles:
- Every child is a unique child gifted from God, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, confident and self-assured;
- Children learn to be confident, strong and independent through positive relationships;
- Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers;
- Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.
Stay and Play
Stay and Play sessions are a valued part of our early years provision, offering parents and carers regular opportunities to come into school and share learning experiences with their child. These sessions are designed to strengthen the partnership between home and school, allowing adults to gain a deeper understanding of what their child is learning and how they develop through play. During Stay and Play, families are invited to explore the learning environment together, take part in purposeful activities, and observe first‑hand how play supports communication, confidence, and early learning skills. This shared time helps children feel secure and valued, while enabling adults to support learning both in school and at home.
Impact
Through implementing the above:
- Children’s progress is at least good from their varied starting points
- Children reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Reception year
- Evidence of children’s achievements are recorded in a combination of paper and online Learning Journals
- Class teachers make formative assessments which inform in the moment or future planning and ensure that all pupils build on their current knowledge and skills at a good pace
Enriching Our Learning
We love bringing learning alive for our children, giving them opportunities to see the world beyond the school gates. We take them out on trips as often as possible
Our Trip to Newham Grange Farm
Our Nursery and Reception children had a wonderful opportunity to visit Newham Grange Farm, where they enjoyed a rich, hands-on learning experience linked to their Understanding the World curriculum. The children were excited to see a variety of farm animals up close, including cows, sheep, goats and chickens, and were particularly fascinated by learning about the animals’ young, such as lambs and chicks. They listened carefully, asked thoughtful questions and made links to stories and learning they had already explored in school. This visit helped to deepen their knowledge and understanding of animals, their babies and the environments they live in, while also supporting vocabulary development and curiosity about the world around them. It was a joyful and enriching experience that brought learning to life beyond the classroom.
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Reception Multi-Sports Festival at Queen’s Campus
Our Reception children had a fantastic time taking part in the Multi-Sports Festival at Queen’s Campus. The event provided a fun and energetic opportunity for the children to develop their gross motor skills while enjoying a range of exciting activities. They enthusiastically participated in games, dancing and martial arts sessions, building strength, coordination, balance and confidence. The children showed great enthusiasm, teamwork and perseverance throughout the day, all while having lots of fun being active. This enriching experience supported their physical development and helped promote a positive attitude towards physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
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