How our Pre-Reception curriculum prepares children for future school life
The timetable in Pre-Reception prepares children for future school life with specialist lessons, a huge range of resources and the use of the wider school facilities.
Woodwork/Junk modelling gears the children up for STEM
Pre-Reception has afternoon woodwork and junk modelling, which prepares them for STEM (Science, Technology, English and Maths). It provides hands-on experience in developing problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking. It’s also fantastic for spatial awareness, coordination, exploration through design and the integration of science and technology concepts.
Early exposure can foster a lifelong interest in the subject and create future-ready skills in a fast, growing world.
Role-play and Music lessons help develop the performing arts
The Mead School is known for its excellence in Performing Arts, with ISA Awards for the past eight years and numerous accolades. More recently, The Mead reached the finals in the Muddy Stilletoes Best Schools Awards.
Performing Arts starts in Pre-Reception, where the goal is to develop confidence and a love for performing. We do this by:
Fostering creativity and imagination through pretend play and music creation (Music is timetabled twice a week, and afternoon activities include role-play)
Teaching emotional expression and understanding through varied roles and musical tones (children also study emotive expression through their guided reading schemes helping emotional intelligence and understanding)
Building confidence through public performance (Pre-reception performance at the Nativity, Easter Concert and Summer Music concert)
Enhancing language and communication skills through dialogue in role play and learning musical instruments (The children are given many different instruments to learn).
Promoting cooperation and teamwork as children perform together (teamwork makes the dream work!).
Trips
Pre-Reception has trips and forest club off-site to gear them up for trips and residential stays throughout their school life. This year’s cohort went to Room on the Broom at the Assembly Halls and then to Blackberry Farm. Trips are important to increase their resilience and independence as well as give them an enriched and varied education from the start.
Climbing, ballet and PE lessons develop physical abilities ready for competitive matches.
Sports are a firm favourite in Pre-Reception but also provide numerous benefits. Children have climbing, ballet and PE lessons throughout the week. This helps develop gross motor skills, enhance strength and endurance, improve flexibility and balance, boost coordination and agility, build confidence and self-esteem and encourage teamwork and communication.
They foster physical abilities, cognitive understanding, and social skills, all crucial for competitive sports. The goal at this age is to have fun and encourage a love for physical activity.
Creative time and expressive arts and design sessions as a precursor for Art and Design
Art lessons for pre-reception children are vital because they foster creativity, enhance fine motor skills and support emotional expression. They provide a holistic approach to learning, marrying physical coordination with the emotional and intellectual side of art, equipping children with diverse skillsets for their future.
The possibilities are endless for future subjects such as art and design, design technology, English literature, drama, theatre studies, textiles, food technology, media studies, ICT and so on!
French familiarises children with different sounds and languages.
Early exposure to learning French in pre-reception stages, such as early childhood or preschool, has numerous advantages for children. Familiarising them with different sounds and languages helps lay a strong foundation for future language learning.
When children are exposed to foreign languages at an early age, their developing brains become attuned to the language’s unique sounds, pronunciation, and intonation patterns. This exposure enhances phonemic awareness and sensitivity to language sounds in general, and as a result, they become more adaptable and receptive to learning other languages later in life.