“It is crucial to their future success that children’s earliest experiences help to build a secure foundation for learning throughout their school years and beyond”     

(Statutory framework for the Early years Foundation stage)

At Cottesmore St. Mary’s we believe that by making each child’s education inspiring and fun, we will enable them to learn and thrive in a rich and creative environment. This was recognised in our last Ofsted inspection, “They (the children) respond with great enjoyment to their learning environment, which provides them with a variety of stimulating opportunities.” One of our key aims is to foster and encourage a life long love of learning.

The Foundation stage curriculum has six areas of learning. They are equally important and are based on the recognition that children learn best through structured, purposeful play, both in the indoor and outdoor environment. These areas are –

• Communication, Language and Literacy;

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development;

• Problem solving, Reasoning and Numeracy;

• Knowledge and Understanding of the World;

• Physical Development;

• Creative Development.

We work hard from the moment a child starts in one of our Reception classes to ensure they feel happy, safe and secure. Great emphasis is placed on each child’s self esteem and they quickly settle in with the added support of the year 6 “Buddies”

Both academic and social progress is monitored regularly and every opportunity is given to parent/carers to share their child’s successes and experiences.