Early Years
Hillcrest Early Years (ages 2 to 5 years) is a happy and healthy environment for children to thrive emotionally, physically, and academically. Nurturing creative and critical thinking skills through play and exploration, lessons and activities are engaging, stimulating and empowering. Children are motivated to play an active role in their learning and to think for themselves, which builds self-confidence and encourages them to become inquisitive, independent, and enthusiastic learners. We promote a strong sense of curiosity.
Teachers carefully tailor the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum to meet each child’s unique needs, ensuring they are appropriately challenged in their learning. We work to ensure every child develops learning skills, acquires new knowledge, and demonstrates understanding through a play-based approach.
Early Years
Hillcrest Early Years (ages 2 to 5 years) is a happy and healthy environment for children to thrive emotionally, physically, and academically. Nurturing creative and critical thinking skills through play and exploration, lessons and activities are engaging, stimulating and empowering. Children are motivated to play an active role in their learning and to think for themselves, which builds self-confidence and encourages them to become inquisitive, independent, and enthusiastic learners. We promote a strong sense of curiosity.
Teachers carefully tailor the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum to meet each child’s unique needs, ensuring they are appropriately challenged in their learning. We work to ensure every child develops learning skills, acquires new knowledge, and demonstrates understanding through a play-based approach.
Our Learning Framework
Prime Areas
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Specific Areas
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Playing and Exploring
Active Learning
Creative and Critical Thinking
Our Learning Environment
During the Early Years, we focus on learning through play. This is achieved through interactive learning zones, bright, well-resourced classrooms, construction and creative corners, and role-play areas. Nature-inspired learning spaces include forest school adventures, a mud kitchen, a water exploration zone, and a sensory garden. We also have cosy corners and child-friendly rest areas.
Our Learning Environment
During the Early Years, we focus on learning through play. This is achieved through interactive learning zones, bright, well-resourced classrooms, construction and creative corners, and role-play areas. Nature-inspired learning spaces include forest school adventures, a mud kitchen, a water exploration zone, and a sensory garden. We also have cosy corners and child-friendly rest areas.
Learners Enjoying Success
Our Early Years teachers nurture each child’s individual learning journey. Through personalised support and engaging classroom experiences, we ensure that every child makes steady progress towards the Early Learning Goals to be met by the end of Foundation Stage 2.
Parents are active partners in this process, with regular opportunities to engage in their child’s development through our ‘Learning Journeys’, which celebrate milestones, achievements, and next steps.
Learners Enjoying Success
Our Early Years teachers nurture each child’s individual learning journey. Through personalised support and engaging classroom experiences, we ensure that every child makes steady progress towards the Early Learning Goals to be met by the end of Foundation Stage 2.
Parents are active partners in this process, with regular opportunities to engage in their child’s development through our ‘Learning Journeys’, which celebrate milestones, achievements, and next steps.
Our Approach
We aim to nurture confident, happy, and inquisitive learners who develop a love of learning from the very beginning. In Early Years, children learn best when engaged, curious, and having fun. We use thematic learning for lessons and projects in subjects ranging from art and music to science and math. These thematic units allow for a cross-curricular approach.
Children develop key skills such as problem-solving, communication, creativity, and independence through play. Teachers carefully plan opportunities that balance child-led exploration with adult-guided learning, ensuring that every child can thrive at their own pace.
Our Approach
We aim to nurture confident, happy, and inquisitive learners who develop a love of learning from the very beginning. In Early Years, children learn best when engaged, curious, and having fun. We use thematic learning for lessons and projects in subjects ranging from art and music to science and math. These thematic units allow for a cross-curricular approach.
Children develop key skills such as problem-solving, communication, creativity, and independence through play. Teachers carefully plan opportunities that balance child-led exploration with adult-guided learning, ensuring that every child can thrive at their own pace.