Smooth transitions and nurturing environments
At the age of 4, children transition to our Reception. While many pupils seamlessly move from our nursery to join us, we also extend a warm welcome to many new joiners.
Our Early Years staff ensure a safe and nurturing environment for our young learners.
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A day in the life
Early Years Foundation Stage profile results
Our EYFS profile results are well above national levels and by the end of the academic year 2022/23, 90% of our Reception children reached a Good Level of Development. This compares to 64% of children in Walsall and 67% of children nationally.
Children reach a Good Level of Development if they have achieved the Early Learning Goals in these prime areas of the EYFS curriculum:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Communication and Language Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Year | % HTS Pupils achieving a Good Level of Achievement | National Scores |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 90% | 65% |
| 2022 | 84% | 64% |
| 2021 | 83% | 0% |
Download our Reception Welcome Booklet
Curriculum
Preparation for Key Stage One
We continue to follow the ‘Foundation Stage Curriculum’ in Reception, but we now begin to ease the children into a more structured school day, in readiness for Key Stage One.
In line with the Early Years approach, both indoor and outdoor learning are promoted and we use the different environments within and around the school grounds, including the Arboretum, to achieve this aim.
Throughout the year, children continue to make progress in their creative and cognitive abilities and develop their numeracy and literacy skills. Dance and PE lessons are taught by specialist teachers and Music, Topic and ICT lessons are also introduced. There is very much a focus on developing the ‘whole’ child – a child who is self-confident, happy, enquiring, enthusiastic, motivated, considerate – and one who has a wide range of experiences to take forward with them into Year 1.
Encouraging a love of learning
Our teachers, equipped with great expertise, deliver exciting and engaging lessons that unlock young minds. Small class sizes allow us to dedicate ample time to understand our children, fostering their learning, imagination, and overall well-being. Proudly embracing a broad and balanced mastery curriculum, we provide diverse experiences, including opportunities for performance, competition, and celebrating achievements. Tailoring our teaching to individual needs, we enrich the lives of our pupils and prioritise character development.
Beyond academics, we foster independence and responsibility, actively listening to our school community, especially the voices of our pupils. As part of a global family, we provide unrivalled experiences, making school days memorable and promoting a love for learning in every child.
Exploring passions
We believe in fostering well-rounded development from the early years. Our Reception pupils have the opportunity to engage in a variety of enriching extracurricular activities, designed to spark their interests and nurture diverse talents.
From creative arts and crafts to playful physical activities, our extracurricular offerings complement the academic curriculum, providing a vibrant and holistic learning experience. Through these activities, we aim to instil a love for exploration, teamwork, and individual expression, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion for learning.
Join us for an Open Event
At our Open Events you will have the opportunity to visit our school and learn more about what a Hydesville Tower education looks like.
Please click below to register to attend our upcoming Open Event. We can’t wait to meet you!
Wraparound care
Before and After School Club
We provide a comprehensive Before and After School Club for all pupils:
Before School Club: From 7:30 am to the start of the school day
After School Club: From the end of the school day to 6:00 pm
For Reception children, our After School Club takes place in the supervised Dining Room, where they engage in supervised activities, games, and enjoyable interactions with our dedicated team.
Conveniently, booking and payment for both Before and After School Club sessions can be easily managed through our parent app, Cognita Connect. Families have the flexibility to plan and reserve these sessions up to a half-term in advance.
Enriching trips for self-confidence and independence
Reception organise a minimum of one trip per term and these are seen as a vital step forward in encouraging children’s self-confidence and independence. Trips are usually linked to a particular topic or they may be organised with an aim of developing particular skills (such as when attending Art Workshops at the New Walsall Art Gallery).
Example enrichment trips include:
Ash End Farm
The New Walsall Art Gallery
National Forest Adventure Farm
Local places of worship (including temples etc)
Conkers
Black Country Living Museum
West Midlands Safari Park
Theatres
Ceramic workshops
An education as unique as your child
2½ - 4 yrs old
4 - 5 yrs old
5 - 7 yrs old
11 - 16 yrs old
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