Welcome to Reception! 

Reception at Chestnuts is a happy place to be, where learning is full of fun! Children in the Early Years learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.  We place a strong focus on the children’s personal, social and emotional development, communication and language and their physical development. These are important areas which build the foundations for all other learning. 

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum which is made up of seven areas of learning:  

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development 
• Communication and Language 
• Physical Development 
• Maths 
• Literacy 
• Understanding the World 
• Expressive Arts and Design

These areas of learning are reflected in our Reception environment. Lots of our learning is linked to, and follows, the children’s interests and there is a balance of child-initiated and adult-led learning. Children explore, create and learn through play and the provision of exciting, stimulating, interactive and accessible resources and opportunities. 

In Reception, we want our children to be well-rounded individuals who are independent, resilient, confident and have a love of learning. Our outdoor area is known as Adventure Island: this is a place where anything can happen! It is based on the concepts of joy and co-playing. The learning branches off in so many directions, the children love it. The Message Centre runs through our provision and allows children to see themselves as writers, knowing that their marks have meaning and that there is a purpose behind it. The children also enjoy our daily Dough Disco sessions which support their physical development and, in turn, their writing development.