At St. Catherine’s Pre-School we strive to ensure a caring and positive learning environment in which children are nurtured and safe. Children learn and play through planned experiences and activities that are challenging but achievable. At St Catherine’s Pre-School we:-

Build positive relationships with adults and other children; Encourage children to try activities and explore and experiment; Support children’s learning; Organise resources to reflect the ages and abilities of children; Practice inclusion; Encourage social, emotional and personal development; Work towards the Early Learning Goals

The Pre-School part of our Foundation Stage Unit. The Foundation Stage starts when

the children join the Pre-School and finishes when they leave the Reception class. In

the Pre-School and our reception class we follow the Early Years Foundation

Curriculum.

The curriculum is split into 6 areas of learning, each of which has equal importance.

The six areas are:

Personal, social and emotional development

– this includes helping them to develop independence, self-confidence, their

relationships with others, self-control and self-esteem.

Communication, language and literacy

– this includes developing their speaking and listening skills, as well as their reading

and writing skills.

Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy

– this includes developing their; counting skills, calculating skills and an understanding

of shape, space and measures.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

– this includes the areas of science, ICT, geography, history, RE and design and

technology, but all taught in a practical, ‘hands on’ way.

Physical development

– this includes developing their fine motor skills, such as using tools, scissors, etc, as

well as their PE lessons.

Creative development

– this includes art, music, dance, drama and developing their use of imagination.

The work is planned around a central topic, so that all the work is linked. The majority of your child’s learning will take place through play-based activities. Young children are much happier when they are ‘doing’ and they remember much more when they have actually found things out for themselves, rather than being told.

At the beginning of each term you will receive an overview of the work to be covered in that term. Staff are available at the start of every day to help settle children and also at pick up times. The Pre-School offers regular stay and play sessions also to help you feel part of your child’s learning experiences.