Early Years Foundation Stage
At St. Lawrence College we adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) standards for England.
The EYFS comprises three age/year groups:
A child may join FS1 in September from 2 years 6 months old at that time.
A child may join FS2 in September if they have turned 3 years old at that time.
Reception class children must have turned 4 years old by September to join.
We believe that all children are able to learn and succeed. We strive to provide high-quality, inclusive education to each and every one of them within a warm, secure and holistic environment, where our young pupils are encouraged and guided towards becoming self-assured, confident, autonomous learners.
We believe that all children are able to learn and succeed.
We prioritise the safety and physical well-being of our pupils and we always strive to meet their emotional needs. We are committed to a smooth continuum of learning in all areas of learning from FS1 through to reception and we take special care to ensure subtle and smooth transitions between stages. Our diverse cultural pupil body offers rich learning experiences to all children.
Our work is based on four guiding principles:
1) The Unique child
Children are encouraged to hone their skills, develop at their own rate and reach their full potential. We respect each individual’s personal learning journey and we value freedom of expression and equity, whilst providing continuing support towards reaching important milestones and gaining independence.
2) Positive relationships
We purposefully cultivate strong bonds between key persons, parents/carers and children, which lead to positive learning outcomes. Our goal is to help children develop the ability to listen and respect others, work collaboratively, and acquire tolerance, resilience, critical thinking as well as important problem solving skills.
3) Enabling environments
We maintain an 'open doors' policy and we do our best to create an inviting, safe, stimulating place of learning and discovery, where children thrive through child-focused activities, play, exploration and investigation. The setting provides a welcoming, vibrant atmosphere which clearly demonstrates the children’s abilities and accomplishments. It is a true testimony of and reflection on the children and staff who occupy and thrive within it.
4) Learning and Development
We advocate a play-based curriculum, strong on recognising personal starting points or attributes, with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities, planned and delivered across seven areas of learning (three prime areas and four specific areas) by a team of dedicated early years' practitioners.
