Welcome to Early Years

At our school, we believe that the fundamental purpose of education is to equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in an ever-evolving world. We are committed to building character, fostering a deep appreciation for knowledge, and igniting a lifelong love of learning.

In the Early Years, we lay the essential foundations for this journey. As the starting point of a child’s educational experience, we strive to captivate and engage our youngest learners, inspiring them to embark on a path of discovery and curiosity. Our role is to provide a strong knowledge base that empowers children with the skills necessary for future success.

Through a rich and stimulating curriculum that balances purposeful play, adult-led activities, and high-quality direct teaching in phonics, reading, writing, and mathematics, we nurture confident, independent learners. Our holistic approach ensures that every child develops the curiosity, resilience, and enthusiasm needed to flourish throughout their educational journey and beyond.

Little Leaders, Big Tomorrow

In Nursery and Reception, your child will be working within the Early Year’s Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). All providers work within this Statutory Framework with children from birth to the end of their Reception Class year. The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the standards to ensure that children learn and develop well and are safe and healthy. Activities are planned and delivered around 7 areas of learning and three characteristics of effective teaching and learning:  

There are three prime areas:

*Personal, Social and Emotional Development      

*Communication and Language Development

*Physical Development

There are four specific areas:

*Literacy 

*Mathematics

*Understanding the World

*Expressive Arts and Design

Characteristics Of Effective Teaching and Learning

*Playing and exploring (engagement)

*Active Learning (motivation)

*Creating and thinking critically (thinking)

If you have any questions about our Early Years provision, then please contact us using the email addresses below:

School office: office@gorsemoor.staffs.sch.uk  

Mrs Mogey (Early Years Lead): jmogey@gorsemoor.staffs.sch.uk

Mrs Campbell (Nursery Manager): ccampbell@gorsemoor.staffs.sch.uk

Our Curriculum

At Gorsemoor, our curriculum is designed to provide a rich and diverse learning experience, with carefully planned key learning points that ensure children build and develop their knowledge over time. Once children have acquired new knowledge and skills, they engage in retrieval activities and have opportunities to apply their learning through both enhanced and continuous provision, both indoors and outdoors. Our dedicated staff play a crucial role as facilitators of learning, supporting children in exploring their own ideas, applying key concepts, and progressing their learning in real-time.

We follow whole-school policies and structured planning in Mathematics, Phonics, and Writing, delivering high-quality, teacher-led sessions that ensure a clear progression of knowledge and skills from Nursery through to Reception and into Year 1.

In Phonics, we follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds scheme, ensuring a systematic approach to early reading and language development. Our Mathematics curriculum is tailored to each stage of learning, with Nursery following the Master the Curriculum programme and Reception following Number Sense. Both year groups benefit from additional support through Number Blocks and Ten Town, which help deepen mathematical understanding in a fun and interactive way.

Our writing curriculum is centred around high-quality texts, fostering a love of storytelling and language from an early age. To support early writing and fine motor development, children in Nursery and Reception participate in Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle and Dough Disco. These engaging, movement-based activities strengthen core muscles, develop coordination, and refine pencil control, laying the groundwork for confident handwriting and written expression.

Through this holistic and carefully planned curriculum, we nurture confident, independent learners, ensuring they are well-prepared for the next stage of their educational journey.

'What EYFS looks like at Gorsemoor.'

What does our Enquiry Focus look like?

Each half term, we introduce a key enquiry focus that guides our learning experiences in Early Years. This approach allows children to engage in deep, meaningful exploration of a topic, encouraging critical thinking and curiosity. Our enquiry-based approach means that children’s ideas and interests help shape their learning journey.

Some examples of our enquiry focuses include:

• Marvellous me! (Encouraging self-awareness, understanding emotions, and celebrating individuality)

• Who helps us? (Learning about people who help us in our community, such as doctors, firefighters, police, shop keepers, and teachers)

• Who lives on a farm? (Exploring farm animals, their habitats, and the role of farmers in providing food)

By embedding these themes within our continuous provision, children can make real-world connections, fostering a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.

At Gorsemoor, we are committed to ensuring that our early years environment supports all areas of development, providing a foundation for children to become confident, inquisitive, and independent learners.

For more information about our early years provision, or to arrange a visit please contact us.

Telephone: 01543 274788

School office: office@gorsemoor.staffs.sch.uk  

Mrs Campbell (Nursery Manager): ccampbell@gorsemoor.staffs.sch.uk

Mrs Mogey (Early Years Lead): jmogey@gorsemoor.staffs.sch.uk