Reception

Welcome to Reception

Excellence is in our Reception

(Video coming soon)

At St Stephens, we aim to nurture enthusiastic, aspirational children who are resilient, creative thinkers and active members of their community, developing ambitious and resourceful individuals who are well prepared for life through personal and academic achievement. We recognise and celebrate excellence in every child and prioritise their personal, social, and emotional development to ensure they feel safe, secure, and ready to learn. Through a broad and balanced Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, we build firm foundations for future learning and set high expectations so that all children gain the skills, knowledge and understanding they need from their individual starting points. Our engaging and meaningful learning experiences across the seven areas of learning draw on children’s interests and prior experiences, broadening their understanding of the world while maintaining ambitious expectations for all. We celebrate diversity, promote spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, as well as providing tailored support for children with additional needs, including SEND, to ensure every child can succeed.

Within our setting, children experience a broad and balanced curriculum that builds on their individual starting points and is delivered through engaging themes and enrichment. Learning is sequenced through meaningful, well-planned activities supported by high-quality adult interactions, effective questioning and strong modelling of speaking and listening. Observations and assessments inform next steps, while accessible indoor and outdoor environments promote continuous, child-initiated learning enhanced with purposeful opportunities. Children benefit from core texts and exciting hooks that spark curiosity, daily phonics with matched reading books and practical maths sessions using real-life contexts. Effective feedback, home learning links and strong parental engagement further strengthen progress, while our Building Learning Power values nurture independence, motivation, and perseverance.

This approach results in children who are highly engaged and confident, demonstrating strong speaking and listening skills and applying their learning across literacy, maths, physical development, and wider world knowledge. They develop positive learning behaviours—making links, explaining their ideas, and applying knowledge independently—while becoming willing to take risks, reflect on their experiences, and adjust their approach. As a result, they make excellent academic and social progress from their individual starting points, develop a secure sense of self, and are well prepared for the transition into Key Stage 1.