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Reception (Early Years Foundation Stage)
It is important to us that your daughter's first year at Francis Holland is a successful and happy experience. We support the girls in acquiring the literacy and numeracy skills that will be the basis of their future learning and help them as they begin to understand and make sense of the world. This is endorsed in the most recent ISI Report (in 2011) which noted, 'Children are active, enthusiastic learners, who show a good awareness of the wider world.'
Girls in Reception enjoy a range of trips, and visitors into school which complement their learning in the classroom.
In particular the ISI made the following remark about the girls in Reception, 'Their personal development is outstanding and their behaviour is exemplary.'
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Years 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1)
Years 1 and 2 are taught by very experienced teachers, who are supported by a classroom teaching assistant in each form. In these years, girls build on the excellent formative experience in Reception, extending their existing skills and meeting new topics and experiences.
The focus of the curriculum continues to be on the acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills, but girls are introduced to a range of subjects, including Geography, History and Science, which they learn chiefly through topic work. They begin to learn ICT skills and have Music lessons with a music specialist involving singing, simple composition and other musical skills.
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Physical Education is taught by specialist staff, who encourage team building and fitness as well as the development of practical skills. Ballet also forms part of the curriculum at this stage and girls are fortunate to be taught by a highly respected teacher, who trained at the Royal Ballet School and who is also an Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance.
As in Reception, learning in Key Stage 1 is supplemented by visits to places of interest which are relevant to the topics studied. These visits include trips to the Maritime and Natural History Museums and to the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood and a Science workshop at Legoland. We make full use of our superb central London location, not just in making use of nearby museums, but also in taking local walks to explore the fascinating Geography and History of the area.
