Foundation Stage

At Hopelands Preparatory School the Nursery and Reception children aged 3-5 years are known as Fox Cubs.

In Fox Cubs we aim to provide an environment that is stimulating, warm and caring in which children, through planned play and structured activities, can develop into confident individuals with a thirst for knowledge.

We provide a planned and varied Foundation Stage Curriculum working through the Stepping Stones towards the Early Learning Goals in Reception. Aspects of the curriculum are delivered in our bright classroom and outdoor area. The rest is delivered through a wide range of trips in the local community; these include visits to the vets, doctors, dentists, opticians and fire station. Specialist teaching in music and physical education (PE) is available for all Early Years children.

During the year we collect information about what the children already know, what they are learning, and – in conjunction with photographs, anecdotal notes, individual tracking sheets and focused observation – we develop plans tailored to the individuals’ needs.

We work closely with parents throughout the year, informing them of their child’s progress, and operate an open-door system where parents are encouraged to participate in all areas of their child’s learning.

To make the children feel part of the whole school ‘family’, every child belongs to one of our three houses – Rowling, Dahl and Fine – and they attend school assemblies. All new Fox Cubs are allocated a Year 6 pupil to be their ‘Buddy’, whose special role is to help look after the younger children. The Year 6 children spend some time in Fox Cubs getting to know their ‘Buddies’, and on whole-school trips the ‘Buddies’ help with the younger children. At playtimes Fox Cubs seek out their ‘Buddies’ to play with them and share their stories of the day.

The staff in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 work closely together to ensure a smooth transition between classes.