Welcome to Reception

All our classes are named after famous artists. Reception class is called Kandinsky, after the Russian Artist Wassily Kandinsky. Our Reception teachers are Miss Hicks and Miss Watts.

At St James’ we offer a stimulating, inclusive and nurturing environment where all children feel safe, cared for and valued – made equally by God. We aim to be a constant pillar of support, kindness and love within the community. We strive to bring out a creative side in all subjects and embrace different ways of learning, starting from our Early Years. 

Our EYFS Nursery and Reception Curriculum Map 

Click on the linked document at the bottom of this page to download our amazing curriculum map for both Nursery and Reception.

Intent – At St James’ our Early Years curriculum is centred around the children and inspired by elements of the Reggio Emilia approach. We endeavour to support children in becoming life-long learners alongside the aims of the EYFS statutory framework. The EYFS is essential in securing solid foundations that the children here at St James’ continue to build on throughout their school learning journey. Following the children’s interests allows us to plan next steps accordingly to meet all children’s needs, as well as empower the children as co-constructors of their own learning. Working closely with our families creates a real strong community and a sense of belonging for the children. As our children embark on their own educational and discovery journey we firmly believe that children communicate their ideas and creativity in a plethora of ways, and we actively support them in doing so, which is why our EYFS curriculum encompasses our school vision, ‘Let Your Light Shine’. 

Implementation – 

At St James’ we combine adult-led focused teaching with child-initiated activities to widen children’s experiences, awe and natural curiosity. Children benefit from quality first teaching, hands-on experiences and provocations which are set up in our engaging environments, including a Maths focused room and Atelier. At St James’ we are extremely proud of the opportunities we provide our children. Our timetable is carefully structured so that children are provided with plenty of time to extend their knowledge through our carefully planned provocations with a huge emphasis on Art and our Natural World. Provision is planned both inside and outside, allowing our environment to be ‘the third teacher’.  The environment is a fundamental aspect of our curriculum, and children are provided with endless opportunities to engage in a range of provocations, which provide hands-on exploration for children to practice, test, construct and deconstruct their own ideas and theories. The themes covered in Early Years are broad, allowing us to follow the children’s interests within these. Our planning is focused around the seven areas of learning and through our carefully planned provocations children are able to develop their skills and understanding across both the prime and specific areas. Our wider curriculum is explored through our specific areas ‘Understanding the World and ‘Expressive Art and Design’, and children are well equipped with prior knowledge linked to the wider curriculum, ready for their transition to Year 1. 

Impact -