Our school vision is that children leave Grendon with the skills knowledge and strength of character to be successful, unlock their future and believe, ‘We can.’ Here at Grendon we know that when children enter Reception it is the start of that important journey.

We strive to ensure that children reach their potential and are always well prepared for the next stage of learning.

At Grendon we greatly value parental involvement and build positive relationships with parents through daily interactions, our online learning journal and regular opportunities for parents to come into school and find out about what the children have been learning.

Through our academic curriculum, we ensure that children are developing knowledge and skills in creative and engaging ways. Learning is well balanced with teacher directed activities, that develop early Reading, Writing and Maths skills alongside linked learning tasks and the opportunity to explore and investigate our enabling environment independently. This may mean children are exploring playdough, creating a painting, investigating sand, using construction toys and many more exciting learning experiences.

We offer enriching activities that provide children with rich, first-hand experiences, this may be in the classroom environment, the school garden and pond area, going on trips or participating in workshops.

Learning in Reception is personalised for individuals and groups to ensure that all children progress well. This, alongside our pastoral curriculum ensures that we remove any barriers to learning. Together this enables children to reach their potential.

Right from the time when children enter Reception, we are working on building independent, resilient learners who communicate confidently. We do this by ensuring during all our activities we take every opportunity to develop these crucial life skills.

Children are taught how to form positive relationships where they are sensitive to the needs of others.

We strive to ensure that children reach their potential and are always well prepared for the next stage of learning.

At Grendon we greatly value parental involvement and build positive relationships with parents through daily interactions, our online learning journal and regular opportunities for parents to come into school and find out about what the children have been learning.

Children in the Early Years classes follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. This is the curriculum for all children in England from birth to 5 years.

The EYFS curriculum includes PRIME and SPECIFIC areas of learning. The characteristics of effective learning underpin all learning in the Early Years. Through all experiences in school, children are supported to play and explore, participate in active learning and to create and think critically.

The Prime areas form the foundations of learning. They are crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. Once a child is competent with the Prime areas of learning, they are ready to begin accessing more subject specific content.

The Prime areas are:
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development

The Specific areas of learning are:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design

More information on the EYFS curriculum can be found at HERE or in the parent friendly document ‘What to Expect When’ which you can download HERE.

Children's individual achievements are recorded using an online Learning Journal 'Tapestry'. School staff upload photos and notes about the activities children have taken part in at school. Parents are able to access and add to their child’s journal from home. Tapestry journals show parents what and how their child is learning at school and allows school to build a rounded picture of each child.

Tapestry access is through a free app on smartphones or through any internet browser. We ask parents to sign a ‘Responsible Use Policy’ before gaining access to their child's account. 

“It is so nice to be able to see what my child has done at school each day”

“Technology hates me so I thought it would be complicated but the App on my phone is so
simple and I like the reminder e-mails I get too!”

“I like showing Mummy my Tapestry pictures at home”

 

We complete an internal baseline assessment of children at the start of their time in school. Assessments are repeated at the end of each term to track both progress and attainment.

At the end of their Reception year, children will be assessed against the Early Learning Goals. This information is reported to parents and also to the Local Authority in the form of the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile - EYFSP.