Gorran PreSchool
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
The Early Years Foundation Stage framework currently defines seven areas of learning and development in pre-school age children.
The three areas which develop first are called Prime Areas and these are:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal social and emotional development
As children grow and develop, the Prime Areas help them to develop skills in four specific areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Underpinning this are the three Characteristics of Effective Learning:
- Active Learning
- Playing and Exploring
- Creating and Thinking Critically
Children learn by exploring, by being active and through their creative and critical thinking. At Gorran Pre-School Hoglets we ensure our children have access to both our indoor and outdoor environments to aid this process.
Our staff plan sessions carefully to achieve a good balance between adult and child led activities, as we believe children benefit greatly from investigating the world around them at their own pace, 'having a go', exploring, problem solving and experiencing mistakes and realisations within a supported environment. This also helps them to achieve a sense of independence that grows through their journey at Pre School and, we hope, supports their transition into Primary School.
'Resources are very well organised to allow children to make independent choices and support their learning... They have introduced new resources to inspire both girls and boys to be active learners'
'Children achieve well in all areas because they enjoy a good balance of interesting and challenging child initiated and adult led activities'
Our Location
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Our Location
We are based within the grounds of Gorran Primary School, six miles south of St Austell and are surrounded by beautiful countryside and fabulous beaches, which we access as often as we can. We have a close relationship with the staff and pupils of Gorran School and run joint activities with the reception class. We are also very lucky to be able to use the School swimming pool and the School playing field.
Trips
We enjoy regular outings and trips based on our termly topics, or on the children's interests, and have use of the Gorran School minibus for some of these visits. Regular events include taking the children to a local Garden Centre to choose our Christmas Tree and a decoration each, upon our return to Pre-School we decorate the tree and invite parents to come in and have a mince pie and admire our handiwork! We are also very lucky to have support from the Lost Gardens of Heligan, where we have enjoyed our annual Easter Egg Hunt and an end of Term 'Teddy Bears Picnic'. These visits, and many others, are an exciting, delightful way of exploring our local environment with the children.
