Early Years | Ivy House School

An Outstanding Early Learning School in London

At Ivy House School, our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) class in Reception establishes a firm foundation on which all future learning is built. Our ambitious curriculum is broad, balanced and wide-ranging in its approach, allowing learners to progress and, more importantly, flourish as they embark on later school stages. We foster a learning environment that is exciting, caring and motivating, enhancing learners’ self-esteem and instilling a love of learning.

The Main Aims of Our Early Years Programme

Our early years programme is meticulously designed to meet each of the following key aims:

To cultivate the skills, knowledge and attitudes associated with the seven areas of development, according to the needs and understanding of each child.
To nurture foundational skills to help children become independent, successful learners.
To promote good health, emotional wellbeing and mutual respect for others.
To provide a happy, safe, nurturing and stimulating learning environment in which all the above can flourish.
To work closely with parents as partners in their children’s development and learning.

Our Early Years Curriculum

The statutory framework for the EYFS lays out the learning goals for Reception relating to knowledge, skills and understanding, along with the corresponding educational programmes. The seven areas of learning and development are divided into Prime and Specific:

Prime Areas

Communication and Language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a language-rich environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
Physical Development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.

Specific Areas

Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces and measures.
Understanding the World involves guiding children to make sense of the physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
Expressive Arts and Design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, design and technology.

The curriculum provides many opportunities for our children to develop key competencies, skills and concepts across learning areas. The aim is to prepare learners for Year 1 entry and, later, senior school. This preparation and development are delivered through planned, purposeful play-based activities, with a balance of adult- and child-led interventions.

An Engaging and Stimulating Environment

Our EYFS spaces, both inside and outside, are carefully organised to reflect the learning areas, as well as promoting independent learning. Learners actively contribute to an engaging environment. By encouraging pupils to select their own resources, we help them build responsibility and gain control of their own learning. Children’s work is presented and displayed with care to help reinforce that their contributions are valued and important.

The Outdoors

Our dedicated outside area for EYFS offers access to the natural environment, with excellent tools and resources for learner development. These include areas for digging, discovery, and planting and growing vegetables. Learners spend plenty of time outdoors as part of our Learning in Nature programme and through regular trips to Golders Hill Park.

Begin your child’s journey to unlimited opportunities with a world-class early education at Ivy House School.

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