Our EYFS Intent

At Chipstead Valley we place great value on the development of children as individuals and providing them with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to prepare them for the challenges in Key Stage One and beyond. Our aim in the EYFS is to build strong foundations rooted in academic success, as well as moral and spiritual development, so that ultimately our pupils can be successful and go on to be active citizens of society and happy, curious life-long learners.

Our curriculum is therefore the cultural capital we know our pupils need so that they can gain the knowledge, skills and understanding they require to be the best they can be. They can only do that if we embed the right mindset for learning through the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning – Play and Exploration, Active Learning and Creative and Critical Thinking.

We teach them how to listen, speak and meet the high expectations for behaviour by working together and being kind. As such, we prioritise personal, social and emotional development and communication and language in the Nursery curriculum.   Our enabling environment and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children as they begin to link learning to their play and exploration. As the children move into Reception, we invest time and energy into helping them set and reflect on their own goals by aiming high and developing a love of reading, writing and number.  This is delivered through a holistic curriculum which maximises opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links and learning experiences, as well as promoting the unique child by offering extended periods of play and sustained shared thinking, following children’s interests and ideas.  We value imagination and creativity and seek to create a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning through a vibrant continuous indoor and outdoor provision, alongside our extensive grounds for woodland learning exploration.

Nursery

Chipstead Valley has a purpose-built nursery housed within the extensive grounds of the school. Our Nursery consists of four key group classes; Caterpillars, Ladybirds, Butterflies and Bumblebees, each providing a safe, friendly, happy and stimulating environment.

Our nursery is set within a caring and supportive learning environment, which takes up to 63 children, aged two and three. We immerse the children in a combination of child led and teacher focused activities and challenges, within both the indoor and outdoor environment, building a lifelong love of learning and nurturing the development of the social skills they need to succeed.

Our aim is for every child at Chipstead Valley Nursery to benefit from the consistency of teaching and learning routines, to ensure they are best prepared for starting school and beyond. We offer our youngest children the opportunity to learn and develop through play, helping them to feel confident and safe within the school environment. We aim to ensure they are given the best start to their educational journey and are supported with their transition to Reception.

We use an online journal system called Tapestry to allow parents to access activities and observations of their children's day to day learning and routines. Parents can also comment and share achievements at home.

New Parents Evening Presentation 2023

 

 

Reception

Our Reception classes provide a welcoming, supportive, and stimulating environment, where children are given equal opportunity to develop and learn. Children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, working throughout the year towards achieving the Early Learning Goals, in a way and pace appropriate to them as individuals.

Early Learning Goals set high expectations within seven key areas of learning and at Chipstead Valley, we aim to meet the diverse needs of each individual child, so that all will develop, progress and achieve. The aims of the curriculum are to help the development of the whole child and to secure a foundation for happy, confident, well-adjusted, independent and educated children.

Pupils will be encouraged to explore, question, reason and communicate and also to express their ideas and feelings through a range of music, drama and imaginary play. The whole school motto, of all children aiming to 'be the best they can be' encompasses all we do, in both work and play, providing the foundations in which each and every child can be supported and encouraged to achieve their full potential.

Similarly to our nursery, we use an online journal system called Tapestry to allow parents to access activities and observations of their children's day to day learning and routines. Parents can also comment and share achievements at home.

Reception new parents welcome 23

Reception Curriculum Evening 2023