Nursery
Thomas Hall School does not have a nursery. However, we have the wonderful provision called the Ark at Thomas Hall. You can find their recent OFSTED report attached below and a link to their website here:
Curriculum
The Ark follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework which is a document that sets the standards for learning, development and care of children from birth to five years of age.
What Is the Early Years Foundation Stage?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the stage of education for children from birth to the end of the reception year. It sets the standards for the learning, development, and care of your child from birth to 5 years old and ensure that your child will learn and develop well and be kept healthy and safe. It is based on the recognition that children learn best through play and active learning and is the same curriculum as in reception classes in school. From September 2021 the EYFS has changed.
What Will My Child Be Learning?
The EYFS framework outlines seven areas of learning and development and educational programmes. There are three prime areas of learning, which are particularly important for your child’s development and future learning:
• Communication and language
• Personal, Social, and emotional development
• Physical development
There are four specific areas of learning, through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied:
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design
The Ark will consider your child’s needs and interests to plan challenging and enjoyable activities and experiences. You can help us to do this by sharing your observations of your child’s interests at home.
There are also three characteristics of effective teaching and learning:
• Playing and exploring
• Active learning
• Creating and thinking critically
These tell us about how each child learns not what they are learning
Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals, and solve problems. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.
The new curriculum gives us the opportunity to spend more time interacting and playing with your children. This means that we will not be completing as many written observations and putting them on Famly. This does mean that we will know your children very well and be able to share observations verbally with you. It is important that we continue to listen to you as parents regularly.
What can you do to help your child?
• Chat, play and read to and with them
• Encourage them to be independent
• Play board games with them
• Teach them about their own environment and community
• Teach them to be creative with craft and Role play experiences.
There is a new focus on early language and extending vocabulary. You can help us do this by:
• Having quality learning conversations and interactions with your child
• Reading a range of stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction texts
• Teaching your child new words and vocabulary
• Sharing what you are doing with your child at home
