At Crown House, we believe that all children deserve an education rich in wonder and memorable experiences, fostering their natural creativity and curiosity. Recognising that each child enters the Pre-School and Reception classes with diverse life experiences, we plan teaching and learning opportunities that provide the best chance for children to develop into well-rounded, happy individuals. Our aim is to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in an ever-changing world, preparing them for future successes.

Pre-school

At Crown House, we welcome children into our Pre-school from the term in which they turn three, fostering collaborative learning and social development within our integrated school community. Our aim is to enable happiness, engagement and curiosity, thereby nurturing a lifelong love of learning. We focus on emotional well-being and personal interests as we believe happy children become successful, resilient learners.

We prioritise the development of language skills, speech and effective communication. Children learn though a blend of child-initiated tasks and adult led activities. We have a structured focus on various foundational areas, including phonics, name recognition and writing, number recognition, writing numerals, pencil control, fine motor activities, and the exploration of mathematical language and concepts. These essential skills are integrated into our daily activities, ensuring that learning is both fun and engaging.

We provide specialised teaching in subjects including forest school, drama, music and physical education. Our forest school programme fosters an appreciation for nature and the outdoors, promoting creativity and teamwork. In drama and music lessons, children are encouraged to express themselves and parents often delight at witnessing their young children’s musical talents and the confidence they exhibit during performances. This holistic approach ensures that each child’s unique abilities are nurtured, enabling them to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.

Reception

The transition from Pre-school to Reception at Crown House is exceptionally smooth. With a dedicated transition programme, our children exhibit happiness, confidence, engagement and readiness to learn. Our small class sizes enable us to deeply understand each child, their individual learning styles and specific interests, allowing us to tailor our plans to ensure that every child is suitably challenged.

In Reception, children concentrate on essential skills such as phonics, reading, writing, handwriting, counting and working with numbers, striving towards and beyond the Early Learning Goals. They engage in child-initiated learning and adult led activities with their teacher, either in small groups or as a whole class, to explore the world around them through our stimulating, half-termly themed learning.

At Crown House, we provide specialised instruction in subjects such as forest school, drama, music and physical education. Our forest school programme fosters a reflective appreciation for nature and encourages teamwork. In our drama and music lessons, children are afforded the opportunity to express their individuality. Additionally, we offer a variety of extracurricular clubs. This holistic approach nurtures each child’s abilities, promoting their social, emotional, and academic development.

Curriculum

At Crown House, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) National Curriculum, laying the groundwork for a robust educational experience. We provide a secure foundation where parents and teachers collaborate, ensuring that every child is included, supported and able to flourish academically and socially to the best of their individual abilities.
Following the four overarching principles:
1. Every child is a unique child
2. Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships
3. Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults
4. Children develop and learn at different rates

We take great pride in the progress our pupils make across all aspects of the EYFS curriculum. Our approach lays a foundation for developing relationships and nurturing children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, allowing them to flourish in an environment tailored to their individual interests and needs. We aim to nurture resilient, capable, confident and self-assured learners, fostering a love for learning and essential life skills through the seven areas of learning;

1. Communication and language
2. Physical development
3. Personal, social and emotional development
4. Literacy
5. Mathematics
6. Understanding the world
7. Expressive arts and design