Early Years Curriculum

With a balanced and child-centred approach to phonics and literacy, our phonics sessions follow the Read, Write, Inc scheme.  Activities are designed to be playful and engaging and appropriate for your child’s developmental stage to encourage a love for reading and writing to build a strong foundation for future learning.

Literacy sessions develop children’s reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.  We engage the children in discussions about the stories they have heard, enhancing their comprehension and vocabulary.  Curiosity for mark making is developed with pre-writing activities such as ‘funky finger time’, drawing and tracing to develop fine motor skills.

Maths Mastery is an approach that ensures children develop a deep, long-term and adaptable understanding of mathematics.  It emphasises fluency, problem-solving and reasoning skills, allowing children to fully grasp mathematical concepts before moving on to more complex ideas.  In pre-school these sessions are engaging, interactive and tailored to each child’s stage of development.  Through practical activities and play, children build confidence and a positive attitude towards Maths.

All age groups at Banstead Prep use White Rose Maths – a pioneering educational initiative – and a variety of resources and techniques to make learning Maths fun.  Children learn to recognise numbers and count objects using items like counters, blocks and numicon.  They play counting and sequencing games, sing number songs, explore puzzles and use a variety of measuring tools.

Our Stem activities are hands-on, inquiry-based to develop critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills as part of everyday learning in pre-school.

STEM education integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics into cohesive learning experiences. These are intertwined with appropriate digital learning, such as education interactive games and simple coding activities that teach the fundamentals of sequencing and problem solving.

Activities such as mixing colours, observing changes in materials and exploring the properties of water occur daily. We engage the five senses, smelling scents, tasting foods and feeling textures. Projects like constructing bridges, towers or simple machines develop planning and critical thinking skills. Visiting and exploring our STEM lab sparks curiosity.

Within these sessions the children explore and learn outdoors, observing plants, animals and weather and discuss their findings  They participate in cooking classes, exploring new foods, building social skills and mathematical understanding.  We encourage them to follow their own journey of enquiry

Our Creative and Performing Arts sessions are inclusive and engaging for young learners. By creating an environment that encourages and stimulates children’s creative imagination, they can solve problems and are free to express and be themselves.

Our multi-sensory approach provides opportunities to explore creativitiy, express emotions and promotes language and curiosity.  Playdough, putty, foam, kinetic sand play supports development of fundamental early writing skills and finger dexterity. By exploring materials and techniques to create artworks allows the children to express their ideas and emotions visually.   

With continuous access to role play the children are able to dress up and act out various roles, promoting empathy and understanding of different perspectives.  Our specialist Music teacher visits the classes weekly and together they learn and perform simple songs, nursery rhymes, and musical games that enhance their auditory skills and rhythm.  The children have a hands-on experience with musical instruments such as drums, tambourines, and maracas, fostering an understanding of different sounds and rhythms.  We have also nurtured a special and unique relationship with Sunrise Living Care Home, where the children in our Pre-school and residents participate in Boogie Beats sessions together!    

As part of our comprehensive curriculum, the children receive specific PE sessions with our specialist sports staff.  Our sports sessions aim to develop your child’s physical abilities, coordination, and social skills through structured play and physical activities.  These sessions help children build confidence, understand the value of teamwork, and foster a love for an active lifestyle. 

Learning a new language at an early age can provide numerous benefits, from cognitive development to cultural awareness. Your child will learn a love of languages with our specialist language teacher in their Little Linguists sessions.  Our teachers use a variety of methods to cater to different learning styles, ensuring that each child can engage with and benefit from the sessions. 

Our “Understanding the World” sessions are designed to help children make sense of their environment, people, and communities. Children will explore various cultural festivals and traditions through stories, music, and crafts helping children appreciate diversity and understand different cultures.  By sharing stories and activities about our family traditions your children foster a sense of identity and belonging.  Through these activities, we support the EYFS goals and help children build a foundation for lifelong learning and respect for their environment and community. 

Allowing children their own time to pursue their interests is a highly valuable time within your child’s day.  Having the opportunity to explore their inside and outside learning environments freely and uninterrupted.  Our newly refurbished indoor and outdoor learning areas facilitates each of the early learning and development areas.  The children can access soft play, mud kitchens, sand and water play, as well as a role play area, reading zone and construction.  All of these areas encourage your child and gives them the opportunities to use their imagination whilst immersed in a safe and stimulating environment, where they are free to be themselves.    

This session prompts children to play and make their own sense of the world around them, allowing their curiosity to grow.  Practitioners are there to facilitate the children’s play, supporting them emotionally and socially helping them to develop these skills.  This important part of your child’s day is when a lot of their learning and character development becomes enhanced simply through play!