At BJR, we place great value on the development of children as individuals, recognising that all children are unique and special to God. We provide them with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to prepare them for the challenges in Key Stage One and beyond. Our aim in the Early Years and Foundation Stage is to build strong foundations rooted in academic success, as well as moral and spiritual development, so that ultimately our pupils can be successful and go on to be active citizens of society and happy, curious life-long learners. 

To learn more about our Nursery, please click here.

Our curriculum is therefore the cultural capital we know our pupils need so that they can gain the knowledge, skills and understanding they require for success. They can only do that if we embed the right habits for learning through the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning: Play, Exploration, Active Learning, Creativity and Critical Thinking. 

At the heart of the Early Years Foundation Stage is the teaching of early reading, which includes a systematic approach to the teaching and learning of phonics. This is embedded in our curriculum to foster a life-long love of reading. Our enabling environment and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children as they link learning to their play and exploration. This is delivered through a holistic curriculum which maximises opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links and learning experiences, as well as promoting the unique child by offering extended periods of play and sustained thinking following children’s interests and ideas.  We value imagination and creativity and seek to create a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning through a vibrant continuous indoor and outdoor provision, alongside trips, visits and regular forest school sessions.