A Brand New World

The Foundation Stage at Grange is an experience in the joy of learning. It probably won’t feel like learning – most children see it as just fun and play. Sometimes they’ll choose what they want to do. Sometimes they’ll take part in an activity that helps them learn how to concentrate or develop a particular skill, like using scissors or gluing card. But as they get to grips with speaking and listening, singing and dancing, stories and counting, they’ll be gaining all the basic skills that will get them off to a flying start when they reach Year 1.

When the child first starts reception class at Grange, the teachers carry out a baseline assessment, to find out the child’s learning needs. It’s not a formal test. It’s often done simply doing some regular classroom activity with the child, such as looking at a book with them, so they won’t even be aware they’re being assessed.

Six broad areas of learning make up the curriculum at this level. They are:- personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and creative development. In addition, under the loving guidance of their teachers, the children are introduced to the unique Grange handwriting. They learn the use of a comfortable, efficient pencil grip and correct sequencing of movements to produce a controlled line, which supports letter formation.