At Tenterden Pre-School we follow a structured and progressive curriculum, designed to meet the needs of our children and to ensure their all-round development.  We believe in partnership between home and school. Children play and learn in our carefully-created, stimulating environment through a mixture of child-initiated and teacher led activities. In this way they are able to develop their skills, knowledge and vocabulary.

In our Pre-School we align to the Froebelian principles and consider these in all that
we plan and do. These include;  The Central Importance of Play: Play is not just entertainment; it is the primary way children integrate feelings, ideas, and experiences to make sense of the world.  Unity and Connectedness: Learning should not be compartmentalized. Everything in the universe—and within the child's development—is fundamentally interrelated. 

• Autonomous Learners: Each child is unique and capable. Education starts with what a child can do, allowing them to think for themselves and make autonomous choices with gentle guidance.
• Engaging with Nature: Direct, hands-on experience in the natural environment is essential for understanding the interrelationship of all living things.
• Value of Childhood: Childhood is a vital stage of life in its own right, not merely a preparatory phase for adulthood or formal schooling.
• Creativity and Symbolism: Children should be encouraged to express their inner thoughts and represent their ideas in their own unique ways through art, music,drama, and open-ended objects.
• Knowledgeable, Nurturing Educators: Teachers should act as empathetic observers and guides rather than dictators of knowledge, fostering a strong, supportive community and trusting relationships with both children and parents.

Communication and language development is a key aspect of pre-school life. Our staff are skilled at identifying and working with children’s individual needs and through quality interactions with children at the appropriate moment, are able to extend and move their learning on.   

Children are taught through the seven areas of learning which are outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. These continue as your child enters Reception. Three of these are of particular importance to young children and are called the ‘prime areas’. These are Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language and Physical Development.  

The four specific areas of learning are Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.  Children need to be secure and confident within the prime areas in order to learn and progress in the specific areas. Our curriculum also focuses on the ways in which young children engage with other people by playing and exploring. This is through your child engaging in active learning and by creating and thinking critically.  These skills underpin learning and development across all areas and support children to become effective, engaged, inquisitive and motivated learners.  Progress of every child is monitored daily through adult interactions and observations and is assessed at key points in the year against our curriculum milestones.  

Areas of experience and learning 
Personal, Social & Emotional Development – Children are taught in a structured,
disciplined environment that encourages sharing, politeness, good manners, an understanding of right and wrong, an awareness of other cultures and religions, the
need for hygiene, how to work and play with others, independence, good communication skills and the ability to use their initiative. 

Communication and Language – Children learn to listen attentively, enjoy and share stories, talk and listen to adults and each other; develop and understand new vocabulary;
recall songs and rhymes in a stimulating language rich environment. 

Physical Development – Children develop both gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, self-confidence and an understanding of how to play safely.  They develop awareness of good personal hygiene routines and are introduced to the importance of exercise and a healthy diet. 

Literacy – Children develop early reading and writing skills through an interest in stories, books and rhymes and begin to represent spoken language in written form by mark making and writing their name etc. Phonics is taught in a very structured and progressive way (through Little Wandle Phase One) in order to ensure children have the necessary skills when they move into Reception. 

Mathematics – Children are introduced to early mathematical concepts such as weight, number, colour, sorting, shape, quantity, money, etc.... all in interesting and practical play situations. It is crucial that children understand number from an early age and our structured maths teacher-led maths sessions support this. 

Understanding the World – Children develop a basic understanding of features and aspects of the world in which they live and are encouraged to develop an enquiring mind
and a thirst for knowledge.  They are taught about seasons and their changes, the natural environment around them, how to take care of living things and are supported to talk about the past. 

Expressive Arts and Design – Children are encouraged to express themselves both visually, through paint and crayons etc. and through their imagination during role play, drama activities, singing and dancing. 

As a pre-school school, all of our teaching is directed at enabling your child to develop
and progress on an individual basis.  On leaving pre-school all children will be working towards achieving the Early Learning goals, outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework. Our careful planning is directed to helping your child to develop
independence and self-confidence in their own ability, be interested in the world
around them, be eager to learn and able to communicate their feelings and ideas.  They will have gained so much from the wide experiences and learning opportunities offered to them.  Your encouragement, comments and interaction concerning any aspects of the education we provide, are welcomed and valued. 

We view our outdoor play area as a classroom, one without walls and a roof! The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework recognises the importance of outdoor activities and play in children’s learning – for some children, being outside is their preferred learning environment and where they will learn the most. Playing outdoors supports physical health and wellbeing.

Our position allows your child to have access to the school facilities, including the hall,
playgrounds, fields, woodland area, computers, library and have shared time with
the Reception class. This makes moving into Reception a natural and smooth transition.