At Crown House, we believe that the Early Years should be filled with wonder, curiosity, discovery and joy. Children arrive with different experiences, interests, strengths and starting points and our role is to know each child well and provide the right balance of nurture, challenge and opportunity to help them flourish.
From the term in which they turn three, children become part of our wider Crown House community. Throughout Pre-school and Reception, we place great importance on children’s happiness, relationships and sense of belonging. Feeling safe, secure and understood provides the foundation from which children develop the confidence to explore, communicate, take appropriate risks and become increasingly independent learners.
Learning takes place through a carefully planned balance of purposeful play, child-initiated exploration and adult-led teaching. Our small classes and experienced Early Years team enable us to respond to children’s interests and development while ensuring that important knowledge and skills are taught systematically.
Our Pre-school provides a warm and stimulating introduction to school life, with particular emphasis on communication, personal and social development, independence and a love of learning.
Language is central to our provision. Through stories, conversation, imaginative play, songs and carefully planned activities, children develop their vocabulary and confidence in expressing themselves. Early literacy and mathematical understanding develop alongside this, including phonological awareness, name recognition and writing, number recognition, mathematical language, pencil control and the fine-motor skills needed for future writing.
Children are encouraged to investigate, ask questions, make choices and learn alongside one another. They begin to understand routines and expectations, build friendships and discover the satisfaction that comes from persevering with something new.
Their experience is enriched by specialist teaching and opportunities including music, drama, physical education and outdoor learning, enabling children to express themselves, develop physically and discover interests and talents from an early age.
The journey into Reception builds naturally upon these foundations. For children progressing through Crown House, close relationships between our Early Years staff support a smooth transition; children joining us at Reception are equally welcomed carefully into our community.
As children become ready for more formal learning, there is an increasing emphasis on the essential foundations of Phonics, Reading, Writing, Handwriting and Mathematics, while maintaining the exploration, creativity and purposeful play that characterise excellent Early Years practice.
Teaching is responsive to individual development. Children learn as a whole class, in small groups and independently, allowing staff to provide appropriate support and challenge as pupils work towards and, where appropriate, beyond the Early Learning Goals.
Specialist teaching and rich opportunities in Music, Drama, Physical Education and Outdoor Learning continue, helping children develop confidence across the full breadth of school life.
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, recognising its four overarching principles: every child is unique; children become strong and independent through positive relationships; children learn well within enabling environments and with effective adult support; and children develop at different rates.
Learning is organised across the seven areas of Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; and Expressive Arts and Design.
Across all seven areas, we want children to make strong progress from their individual starting points while developing the characteristics that will serve them throughout their education. By the end of Reception, our aim is for children to be happy, curious, resilient and increasingly independent learners, excited and ready for the next stage of their Crown House journey.
“Children in the early years follow a well-planned curriculum, closely aligned to their interests. They progress well, engaging in a wide range of activities indoors and outside, which teachers ensure are well-matched to support their on-going development. Children settle quickly into the early year setting and are happy and secure due to warm relationships with staff and the sensitive care they provide.
Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of both the early years statutory framework and the developmental needs of young children. Leaders ensure that activities reflect children’s interests and enable them to make good progress across all the areas of learning.”
ISI, October 2023
