EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT
The perfect springboard EARLY YEARS Nic Henson, head of nursery and pre-prep at Sancton Wood School, gives three reasons that pre-reception can be a fun and valuable step for your child
and literacy skills too, through engaging, well-thought-out activities and tasks. This creates an incredible foundation for being able to thrive in school. There are endless opportunities for children to develop their fine motor skills as well, with lots of resources and carefully cultivated, stimulating activities to promote being active, exploration and challenges. Their curiosity is sparked, ready for a love of learning. The team at Sancton Wood have the qualifications and experience to enable them to truly understand the world through the eyes of young children, instil curiosity and promote mastery. They have the confidence and knowledge to use rich language and open-ended conversation to
tap in to enquiring minds. They have the ability to pick up on the little things that make a child tick, and are attuned to each child, knowing when to stretch and challenge and when to allow them to take risks and make mistakes in a safe environment. The extensive outdoor space and play equipment at Sancton Wood is perfect for performances, making dens, discoveries and adventures and the forest school has been home to many an invention and creation – helping imaginations fly.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to grow and develop emotionally and socially. High-quality pre-receptions can offer a safe, secure and structured setting, with highly qualified staff who foster excellent relationships with the children. This is the perfect environment for children to experience spending some time away from their families and engage with other children. It’s also a great opportunity to learn to follow instructions, share, make choices, solve problems and manage emotions. In this setting, children become independent and resilient young learners, adept at taking care of themselves and those around them. Children get a head start with lots of skills – while having fun. A child’s vocabulary grows significantly between the ages of three and five. Pre-
reception provides the perfect ground for developing languages with songs, stories, activities and carefully placed questions from teachers. Sancton Wood introduces Spanish at this stage too, to nurture a love of foreign languages and the benefits this can bring. The seeds are set for maths SPACE TO PLAY With a child-led approach, Sancton Wood offers the freedom to explore the outdoors while being guided in the first steps of their learning journey
Our November 2022 Ofsted report concluded that “all children make excellent progress relative to their starting points and are extremely well prepared for the next stages of their education.” The perfect foundation for a happy childhood and a fulfilling future; children are fully equipped to embrace the next stage of their learning and are ready to move with confidence up to reception.
The extensive outdoor space at Sancton Wood is perfect for performances, making dens, discoveries...
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JULY 2023 61
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