Early Years

It all starts here

Reception is where the St Christopher’s seven year journey begins. It is a place of belonging, discovery and wonder, where girls feel confident to ask questions, explore new ideas and develop a lifelong love of learning. In a nurturing and stimulating environment, they learn that curiosity is something to celebrate and that every day brings something new to discover.

Our girls learn through play, exploration and meaningful experiences that spark their imagination. Learning is shaped by their interests and brought to life through topic-based, cross-curricular projects that encourage connections across different subjects. Every child is unique, and we take the time to understand how each girl learns best. Through daily one-to-one reading, small group activities and a strong focus on personal, social and emotional development, we support every pupil to grow in confidence, independence and resilience.

While the Early Years Foundation Stage provides an excellent framework for learning and development, we also believe in challenging young minds from the very beginning. As an independent school, we have the flexibility to draw on a wide range of teaching approaches, enabling us to respond thoughtfully to each child’s needs while nurturing a love of learning that will stay with them long beyond Reception.

The Reception experience is enriched by specialist teaching in Music, Singing, PE, Spanish, Philosophy and PSHCE, giving girls even more opportunities to explore their interests, develop new skills and discover what excites them.

Prime Areas: Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and Physical Development. These are particularly important for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving.

Specific Areas: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Art and Design. Through these, the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

There is no change to the EYFS Safeguarding and Welfare requirements with which the school must comply to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our pupils.