St Cecilia’s Catholic Infant and Nursery School

As your children embark upon their formal education we take to welcome you to St Cecilia’s Catholic Infant and Nursery School.

This is a heart–rending time for parents as you hand your children, possibly for the first time, into the care of someone else. We, at St Cecilia’s, hope to work in partnership with you in nurturing and educating your children. Your children will be happy in school when they are confident in the knowledge of a working partnership, based on mutual trust and understanding, between home and school.

St Cecilia’s Catholic Infant and Nursery School strives to be a family community, inspired by the teachings of Christ where each individual is valued, nurtured and encouraged to reach their full potential.

We aim to create a welcoming environment and foster a meaningful Catholic ethos which involves the home and parish community in the life of the school. We aim to provide a child centred broad based curriculum which enables children to fully develop their talents, gifts and skills. We aim to nurture confidence and self-esteem. We aim to inspire curiosity and encourage empathy for the global family communities.

The Foundation Stage includes the Nursery and Reception years of a child’s education. It is a distinct stage and important both in its own right and in preparing children for later schooling. The Foundation Stage places emphasis on how children learn and engage with their own learning journey through: Playing and exploring, Active learning, Creating and thinking critically.

There are seven areas of learning that make up the curriculum. The Prime areas: Personal, social and emotional development, Communication and language, Physical development. The Specific areas: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the world, Expressive arts and design.

To ensure a broad and balanced curriculum, activities follow the children’s interests wherever possible. Throughout the year a variety of topics and themes are introduced to the children as appropriate.

Children are provided with opportunities to learn outdoors and all children can engage in planting and growing activities in our thriving Nursery allotment.

At St Cecilia’s we are committed to ensuring the children in our care have time, every day, to explore their learning both indoors and outdoors with knowledgeable, interested and enthusiastic adults.

The Key Stage 1 curriculum covers Years 1 and 2 and provides a balanced and broadly based programme of study which helps to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural and physical development of pupils.

The children are taught in topics which may be Science/ Geography/History based. From these literacy and maths activities will be taught.

Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is a planned, developmental programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. As part of a whole school approach, PSHE education develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.

During KS1 learners gradually build on the skills, attitudes and values, knowledge and understanding they have started to acquire and develop during the Early Years/Foundation Stage. PSHE education offers learning opportunities and experiences which reflect the increasing independence and physical and social awareness of learners as they move through the primary phase. They learn skills to develop effective relationships, assume greater personal responsibility and keep themselves safe.

The schools PSHE curriculum reflects national expectations and supports all of our children with respect to their physical, emotional and social development. It also promotes their understanding of their rights and responsibilities as members of a wide range of communities.