Our Pre-Prep setting is a vibrant and nurturing place, allowing children from rising threes' to four years old to develop and build a strong educational foundation. our caring environment is a stimulating place that facilitates progress across all areas of development and learning. With a holistic approach to learning, our aim is to encourage resilience, independence and school readiness.

Nursery Groups

Children are allocated a Key Worker from their first day at the Nursery. We use vertical grouping which is a system of grouping children of various ages together. From our vast experience, we find that children's social, communication, and holistic development flourishes as a result.

"Children in the nursery demonstrate excellent cultural awareness. Diversity is celebrated within circle-time." - ISI Report 2016

Seamless Progression

We are very proud of the EYFS at Bishop Challoner School, which has a unique, cohesive flavour encompassing both our Nursery and Reception classes. 

Our children have many opportunities to work and play together and our Nursery children are well prepared and excited to make the seamless transition to Reception.  Children and parents recognise a familiarity in the move to Reception as lessons such as phonics, through the Read Write Inc programme, and regular visits to Forest School are key elements of both phases of our EYFS. 

Staff work closely together, sharing key information to nurture wellbeing and happiness and to encourage progression.

Development

When they join us, each child is assigned a Key Person who is responsible for facilitating play based activities and monitoring progress.

The use of Tapestry software allows staff to observe, assess and track the development of each child. Parents are able to log-in from home to add in their own observations, view photos and videos and bridge the gap between home and school.

"In the EYFS, excellent achievement is promoted through well-planned schemes of work which allow pupils’ thinking to be extended. These utilise a wide range of resources, a rapid pace in lessons and teachers’ excellent subject knowledge." - ISI Report 2016