Early Years at Mount Stewart Federation

At Mount Stewart Schools, we are dedicated to ensuring the finest start for our children's education journey. Our Early Years team, committed to nurturing a secure, supportive, and joyful environment, tailors learning experiences to each child's unique interests and needs, fostering readiness and achievement. Our approach to Early Years education is crafted to be vibrant and varied, aimed at sparking a lifelong passion and enthusiasm for learning among our young le

Mount Stewart Nursery

At Mount Stewart Schools, our Nursery welcomes children from 2 years old, offering flexible session options including morning, afternoon, or full-day attendance. This flexibility caters to diverse family needs and ensures a nurturing start for our youngest learners. Upon reaching 4-5 years old, children smoothly transition from our Nursery into our Reception, continuing their educational journey within our supportive and enriching environment.

Our Vision for Early Years Development

At Mount Stewart Schools Federation, we are committed to giving children an exceptional start in their educational journey. Led by a team of experts, including Charlotte Carey, a DfE EYFS expert, our Early Years environment is designed to be a nurturing space where children feel safe, supported, and eager to learn. We focus on individual interests, fostering a love for learning through creative, challenging, and active experiences.

We aim to cultivate a learning atmosphere where each child's strengths and interests are identified and valued, building confidence and independence. By developing strong relationships with our children and their families, we nurture attitudes of self-motivation, curiosity, and responsibility. Our curriculum, enriched with innovative teaching methods like Read Write Inc phonics strategy, ensures exciting and meaningful learning experiences. This approach is validated by our contribution to national EYFS standards and Ofsted's recognition of our teaching.

Our goal is to support each child in confidently transitioning to the next educational stage, well-prepared and enthusiastic about learning.

Our Aims

• Identify and value each child's strengths, interests, and learning styles.
• Develop confidence, respect, independence, and high self-esteem in children.
• Build strong relationships with children and their families.
• Foster self-motivation, curiosity, self-confidence, and responsibility in children.
• Encourage curiosity, reflectiveness, creativity, and resourcefulness.
• Provide exciting, creative, real, challenging learning experiences.
• Encourage risk-taking and fun in learning.
• Offer high-quality teaching that aligns with children's interests and developmental needs.
• Support first-hand, purposeful, resilient play for learning.
• Facilitate a confident transition to the next educational stage.

'The outstanding teaching and support from staff in the Early Years provision mean the majority of children make rapid progress to meet or exceed the early learning goals. As a result, the children are exceptionally well prepared to enter Year One.' Ofsted.

Achieve. Inspire. Learn.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage at Mount Stewart Schools we believe in providing children with a safe, stimulating and challenging environment where children flourish. We pride ourselves on listening to children and those who care for them and using this information to be responsive, reflective practitioners and personalise each child’s learning journey. Learning should be fun and we strongly believe in first hand experiences, risk-taking, valuing the importance of the enabling outdoor environment to develop children’s relating, resilience and problem solving skills. We believe that every child is unique and should be treated so allowing them the opportunity to develop relationships, respect and learn in a safe and nurturing well-resourced environment where play and learning is combined. We understand the importance of practical learning experiences and strive to equip children with a love of learning and a natural curiosity. We are committed to giving our children the best possible start to their school life; teaching those learning and resourceful skills which will ensure their well-being now and success in the future.