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Learning

Foundation Stage - Nursery and Reception

This is the earliest stage of a child's education at BST, and covers the Nursery and Reception classes. The Foundation Stage provides a secure and supportive environment where children can:

The Foundation Stage Curriculum covers six areas of learning, these are:

  1. Communication, Language and Literacy
    Through a variety of activities the children's ability to listen attentively, communicate and develop an interest in stories and books is supported and extended. A rich variety of books, puppets, story sacks and other resources are used to make stories come alive. Children are introduced to phonics, they develop their written letter formation and are encouraged to start the early stages of emergent writing. At BST we also focus highly on the children’s speaking and listening skills.
  2. Mathematical Development
    This area of learning includes counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns, making connections, recognising relationships and working with numbers, shapes, space and measures. The children participate in counting songs, stories, rhymes, games and imaginative play.
  3. Knowledge and Understanding of the World
    The children are given opportunities to observe, predict, explore, investigate, discuss and make decisions and to extend vocabulary. The children carry out topic based activities. The experiences form the basis of their learning in Science, Design and Technology, History, Geography and ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) and experimenting with numbers.
  4. Creative Development
    This area of learning includes art, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play. Through creative activities the children handle a range of materials, experiencing texture, colour and form. The children have the opportunity to experiment and create freely and participate in organised activities. There are also plenty of opportunities to explore sound, make music, play musical instruments and join in with new and familiar songs.
  5. Physical Development
    The children participate in activities that develop their control and coordination and their awareness of space and others. Their fine manipulative skills are increased by using a variety of tools, within a range of creative activities and small construction play. They use a range of small and large equipment and balancing and climbing apparatus both inside and outside.
  6. Personal, Social and Health Development
    The children learn to work, to play and co-operate with each other. We provide a warm, secure environment where children are valued, feel happy and confident. There are opportunities for children to work alone and in small and large groups. Role-play is particularly encouraged both indoors and outdoors.

Learning