Our Intent (What we do)

'Strive to Thrive by Five'.

At Kippax Ash Tree we use our powerful voices to enable us to make meaningful choices for a life of opportunity and success.

Throughout a child’s time with us in our EYFS we provide children with the opportunities to learn and develop skills for lifelong learning. We see each child as an individual and as practitioners we have the ambition to unlock their true potential. Our aim is to prepare our children for the future, equip them with the ability to use and transfer their knowledge and skills across the whole curriculum enabling children to be ready and fit for the next stage of their education.

We strive to establish an Early Years environment which provides for all its pupils, a happy and secure environment in which to learn and be cared for. It is a place where every child is recognised as an individual and is helped to understand that they have great value for being themselves. In our EYFS unit we carefully consider ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ which promote positive attitudes to learning, an enthusiasm for knowledge and the confidence to become successful learners.

Early Years at Kippax Ash Tree is the foundation and first steps to our children becoming independent, resilient and curious learners. As a school we want all children to strive to thrive, to develop powerful voices which enable children to make meaningful and well informed choices for a life of opportunity and success. In order to achieve this every child needs a strong support network based on positive, mutually respectful relationships.

“No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship” James Comer

We use the “10 C’s of Childhood” as a way to describe what our children truly need to thrive— focusing on nurturing the whole child. 

Connection

Children need strong relationships—with peers, adults, and their community—to feel safe and valued.

Communication

Opportunities to express themselves, share ideas, and be listened to.

Collaboration

Learning to work with others, solve problems together, and build teamwork skills.

Creativity

Space to imagine, explore, and think differently—not just follow instructions.

Curiosity

Encouraging questioning, exploration, and a love of learning.

Critical Thinking

Developing the ability to analyse, question, and make informed decisions.

Confidence

Building self-belief through encouragement and meaningful success.

Compassion

Understanding others’ feelings, empathy, and kindness.

Contribution

Feeling that they can make a difference and have a voice in the world.

Courage

Being willing to take risks, try new things, and learn from mistakes.

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Our Learning Environment

We strive to establish a safe and secure Early Years environment, in which all pupils can achieve and thrive. It is a place where every child is recognised as an individual and is helped to understand that there is great value in being themselves. In our EYFS unit we have three indoor rooms and a large shared outdoor space; the garden.

The Indoor Environment

Our home-from-home indoor learning environment is carefully designed to support children’s communication and language development, as well as learning across all seven areas of the Early Years curriculum. The space is divided into thoughtfully resourced areas that encourage exploration, problem-solving, creativity, and independent learning. We use real, everyday resources to help children make connections between home and school, while natural, open-ended play invites curiosity and imagination. Children have the freedom to move seamlessly between indoor and outdoor spaces, giving them opportunities to explore, investigate, and learn in a variety of contexts. The environment is constantly adapted to meet the unique needs of each child, ensuring that every learner is supported to grow, develop, and thrive.

The Outdoor Area - The Garden

The garden is where natural curiosities are there for the taking. It is a place of wonder, fascinations and a place to be free. It provides a diversity of natural resources and spaces that can not be replicated indoors. The resources on offer help develop the skills of enquiry, critical thinking and reflection. Time spent in the garden allows children to connect with the natural world through experiencing the elements: water, air, fire and earth, seasonal changes, growth and decay and changes over periods of time. Daily access to the garden supports a healthy attitude and supports active lifestyles as well as learning about our senses all through the seasons. We also have the opportunity for weekly planned Forest School sessions in our Forest School area within the school grounds.

Children will explore, discover and investigate in our learning landscape using a range of open-ended resources. They will follows their own interests but also access adult-led learning time. We believe that children learn best when they are engaged in real, hands-on, exciting experiences. Adults here facilitate, extend and challenge children’s learning. Our calm and purposeful environment acts as our 'third teacher'. We offer a beautiful natural calm and purposeful learning environment which promotes a 'home from home' feel with real life objects to support children to feel safe, have a sense of familiarity and secure. Our indoor and outdoor learning environment allows our children to be curious and creative alongside developing key child development skills. Provocations in the environment inspire and challenge children and the hands on experiences and curriculum opportunities deepen children's knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Forest School

We also have the amazing opportunity for all children in Early Years to take part in a weekly Forest School session with Sam (our qualified Forest School Teacher from Wilderness Adventures). Forest school supports our children to become more confident, develop social skills and communication and language skills, develop physical stamina and a keenness to participate alongside developing knowledge, understanding of the world and respect for the environment.

Family Groups

Each adult in our Early Years Unit has the responsibility for their own small 'family' of children. This approach has been proven particularly successful for developing communication and language and personal, social and emotional skills. The role of the Family Group Leader is to build a strong relationship with their group of children, their parents and their families. Family Group leaders develop a deep understanding of each child's needs, interests, abilities and next steps in learning. The strong nurturing relationship develops and deepens and ensures children feel safe and secure in the environment.

Child Led Projects

Research based evidence shows that children who are engaged in project work show a better command of creative tools and instruments later in life. The impact of collaborative approaches on learning is consistently positive (Education Endowment Foundation). During group project work, children easily proceed from exploration to representation, which has a positive impact on their development. Children’s vocabulary is expanded and contextualised whilst exposing children to new words which they might not come across in the curriculum. Project work is an innovative and well explored pedagogical method to learn about the world around them, widen their cultural capital and develop the way they express themselves. The entire system is designed to be connected, with nothing left to sit in isolation. Everything is alive and everything is connected.

We aim to give children endless ways and opportunities to express themselves. At Kippax Ash Tree, we believe children should be given opportunities to develop their potential through self-initiated exploration and themed project-led learning approaches. Throughout the day, children have the opportunity to explore, observe, hypothesize, question, discuss and clarify their understanding in the various areas across the whole unit.

Our Adults

At Ash Tree, our highly skilled practitioners play a vital role in supporting children’s learning and development. Through a carefully planned and responsive curriculum, children are given opportunities to revisit, practise and deepen their knowledge and skills in ways that are meaningful to them. In our Early Years, adults act as facilitators of learning. They challenge, support and extend children’s thinking through purposeful interactions and sustained shared conversations. This approach empowers children to make decisions, take ownership of their learning and follow their own interests. We encourage all children to take an active role in their learning—developing resilience, perseverance and a positive attitude when faced with challenges. Children are supported to work collaboratively, think creatively and develop independence, helping them to achieve high standards in all they do. Our Early Years team is dedicated, experienced and passionate about child development. With high expectations for every child, they are committed to ensuring that all children thrive and reach their full potential by the age of five.

Parents and Families

At Ash Tree, strong relationships with parents and families are at the heart of our Early Years provision. We believe that open, effective communication is key, and we prioritise regular face-to-face interactions wherever possible. This begins with a home visit for every child joining us, allowing us to build meaningful relationships from the very start and gain a deeper understanding of each child and their family.

Throughout the year, we provide a range of opportunities for parents and families to engage with our setting. These include events such as Stay and Share, Stay and Sing and Stay and Sparkle, as well as more structured sessions like our Book Breakfast, where we share the importance of early reading and phonics development.

Our Early Years team are available at the door every morning and afternoon, ensuring daily opportunities for connection and communication. We are committed to building strong, lasting relationships with all Ash Tree families.

We also use online platforms to keep parents informed and involved. In our Nest, we use Tapestry to share updates on care routines, sleep and learning throughout the day. In Cygnets and Swans, we use Class Dojo to share our curriculum and celebrate learning. Through photos, videos and messages, we provide insights into your child’s experiences, along with helpful information and support for learning at home. Each child also has their own portfolio, where special “wow” moments are shared so they can be celebrated together at home.

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Impact (The result of what we do)

Our carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich and language-focused curriculum, combined with skilled adults, an engaging environment and dedicated practitioners, supports our children to become confident, successful learners who are fully prepared for the transition into Year One.

We are committed to ensuring that all children make strong progress across every area of the Early Years, developing the ability to communicate effectively and regulate their own behaviour. At Ash Tree, we maintain high expectations for every learner, with a curriculum thoughtfully adapted to reflect the needs of our children and our unique context.

Our provision is continually reviewed and adapted to support each child’s development, with next steps tailored to their individual needs. This personalised approach ensures that every child, regardless of background, is well prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.

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