The Early Years Foundation Stage is a single quality framework to support children’s learning and development from birth to five years. Therefore we follow the Foundation Stage framework in Reception Class. Children are offered a principled play based approach to learning and development. The activities that are provided for our pupils underpin the skills they need, to work towards the Early Learning Goals. The Early Years Foundation Stage has four themes.

• A Unique Child
• Positive Relationships
• Enabling Environments
• Learning and Development

Each child learns skills, acquires new knowledge and demonstrates their understanding through seven areas of Learning and Development. The 3 Prime Areas are Communication and Language, Physical Development and Personal Social and Emotional Development. As the children develop, the Prime Areas help them to increase their skills in 4 specific areas. These are Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.

The Early Years Foundation Stage also encourages staff and parents/carers to work together to help children develop to their full potential.

The school curriculum aims to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. It aims to provide every pupil with opportunities to learn and to achieve. These two aims reinforce each other. The personal development of pupils plays a significant part in their ability to learn and to achieve. Development in both areas is therefore essential in enabling all pupils to achieve their full potential.

At St Augustine’s, there is foremost a belief in education, at home and at school, as a route to the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, physical and mental development, and thus the wellbeing, of the individual. Education is also a route to equality of opportunity for all. Education should reflect the enduring values that contribute to these ends. These include valuing ourselves, our families and other relationships, the wider groups to which we belong, the diversity in our society and the environment in which we live. Education within our Catholic school also reaffirms our commitment to the Gospel Values, including truth, honesty, justice, respect, trust and a sense of service towards others.

At the same time education must enable us to respond positively to the opportunities and challenges of the rapidly changing world in which we live and work.