Our Early Years Leader is Sarah Horsman

At Fulbourn Primary School, the Early Years curriculum and environment provides a rich variety of engaging and playful learning opportunities. At Fulbourn, we aim to:

• Provide a safe, challenging, stimulating and caring environment which is sensitive to the needs of the child, including children with additional needs.
• Provide a broad, balanced, relevant and creative curriculum that will set in place firm foundations for further learning and development in Key Stage 1 and beyond.
• Use and value what each child can do, assessing their individual needs and helping each child to progress.
• Enable choice and decision making, fostering independence and self-confidence.
• Work in partnership with parents and carers and value their contributions ensuring that all children, irrespective of ethnicity, culture, religion, home language, family background, learning difficulties, disabilities, gender or ability achieve their full potential.
• Provide opportunities whereby children experience a challenging and enjoyable programme of learning and development.
• Provide inclusive experiences for all children, whatever their needs.

The freedom to learn indoors and outdoors is fundamental to early development.  We are fortunate to have a multi-purpose outdoor space dedicated to Early Years provision, enabling children to move between the two environments as they wish.  Plenty of time to explore and play, combined with focused teaching each day enables our youngest to thrive and progress, developing crucial play and social skills.                                                                     

Throughout the school day children take part in adult directed learning and also have the opportunity to follow their own interests and lead their own learning in ‘Busy Learning’ time.

During ‘Busy Learning’ time children can independently access the continuous and enhanced provision. Adults skilfully support this child-initiated play, interacting and moving children’s learning forward. Adult Directed learning takes place throughout the year and is a designated time to address specific learning with the children. This can be as a whole-class, small group work or 1:1.

Our little ones feel happy, safe and secure as a result of a carefully managed transition from pre-school, close communication with families and strong relationships amongst professionals.

We thoroughly enjoy learning with our children in Early Years, not least because we work hard to maintain a stimulating and fun learning environment. Learning each week follows the children’s interests providing exciting topics, and inspiring opportunities to explore and to build new skills in reading, writing and maths.  We feel privileged to share in the serious fun!