We have a question-led curriculum which informs our termly planning which supports children to carry out their own inquisitive enquiries. A wealth of ‘wow’ moments are planned to excite interest in new areas of learning. Alongside this, planning remains flexible to incorporate the interests of the children so we can support each unique child in their own personal journeys of learning and development.

Our curriculum is delivered through a carefully balanced timetable consisting of guided teaching and independent learning opportunities. During each session, children are guided in learning new knowledge and skills then encouraged to practice these further during their independent learning time.

Our learning environment is designed to offer a multitude of invitations to play and explore the new knowledge and skills they are developing as life-long learners. Enhancements are made to continuous provision areas to support the learning challenge curriculum or to offer scope to learn at a greater depth.

Planned trips, visits and enrichment events occur throughout the year to inspire our learning. Children in the Nursery visit the local library and enjoy visits from storytellers reading stories in home languages of our school community. Reception children enjoy visits from Marine Biologists and trips to the Safari Park or Zoo.

Whilst children carry out their own independent enquiries through play, our team of experienced staff support and challenge them through quality talk and interactions supporting the children to articulate their knowledge. We are proud of our language-rich environment and are working towards becoming an Elklan accredited communication-friendly setting.

Children’s progress is tracked and monitored through observations and assessments. Emerging special educational needs are identified and monitored using a range of assessment tools and additional provision is mapped and reviewed on a regular basis with the support of our early years special needs advisory service.

Planned activities offered through our learning environment are carefully designed to remain accessible to any level of development.

At St Anne’s, we are proud to offer a safe, secure and stimulating space for children to learn. Our spacious indoor classrooms, complemented by calming neutral décor, support our children to maintain a relaxed mindset for successful learning. Both outdoor areas have recently been redeveloped to provide a stable alternative learning space for children to learn in the restorative fresh air; purposefully designed to provide the right level of challenge for each age group of young learners.

Healthy practices are modelled and encouraged through our fruit-based snack offerings, shared mealtimes supporting the development of good table etiquette and support for children in learning to use the toilet independently.

Well-planned transition support and flexible schedules are in place to support effective transition for new starters as they develop healthy relationships with their new peers and teaching staff (key person).

Excellent home-school partnerships with parent and carers are established from initial home visits and maintained through ongoing stay and play sessions during our monthly Mouse Club sessions in both Nursery and Reception classes. We are proud to establish the foundation stones of the St Anne’s family.

Children enjoy coming to school in our Nursery and Reception classes. They quickly settle into the well-established routines and are soon learning and playing happily together.

Children respect each other’s differences and see diversity as a positive aspect to be celebrated.

Children learn good manners and how to behave well around others, as a result of the role models provided to them both by staff and other pupils. Our school has a strong family ethos, so children have many opportunities to work alongside and learn from older pupils, such as, Year 6 librarian readers and playground buddies to help us grow as stewards of God's earth together.

We prioritise supporting good mental health and wellbeing and daily discussions about feelings and emotional regulation are integral to daily life in our early years unit. The children are introduced to the Zones of Regulation through The Colour Monster and both classrooms have a bespoke regulation station area to support the early learning of self-regulation.

All staff are trained to deliver the Think Equal materials to support our PSE curriculum. Children enjoy putting the many strategies they have learned into practice eg: our Friendship Wish motto as a reference tool for encouraging positive and caring relationships with others.