Early Years Prospectus
‘Aspire not to have more, but to be more’ We are a high-achieving, academic and dynamic school which fosters the well-being of each individual within an exciting, challenging and supportive environment. We recognise commitment, hard work and success, setting ourselves the highest academic challenges to develop our talents to the full. We are proud of our school and its Christian values, yet respect the beliefs of others in our community. We believe in social justice for all and feel a sense of responsibility for those less fortunate, for whom we provide support both locally and globally through our fundraising and community service.
Welcome We work in partnership with you to ensure that your daughter feels as comfortable as possible in her new learning environment and enjoys her educational journey from the first minute she sets foot in Alderley Edge School for Girls. We work closely to ensure a smooth transition and continuity from Nursery and PreSchool to Reception, both for your daughter and for you as parents.
During the early years we lay solid foundations through play, exploration, active learning and the opportunity to create and think critically. This underpins all future learning.
We hope that you find our prospectus both interesting and informative, but the best way to appreciate the outstanding learning environment we provide is to come and experience it yourself. We look forward to your visit!
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Our Early Years department covers our Nursery, Pre-School and Reception classes. Within a nurturing and inclusive environment, the activities on offer will provide your daughter with the best possible opportunities to develop and establish a life-long love of learning. We know our children extremely well and we are proud of the positive, trusting relationships that are formed.
Mrs Helen Thomaides Head of Early Years
Our Early Years children learn through planned and purposeful play activities, following the statutory guidance of the Foundation Stage Curriculum, which recognises the different starting points of each child.
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These areas are: Prime: – Personal, Social and Emotional Development – Physical Development – Communication and Language Specific: – Literacy – Mathematics – Understanding the World – Expressive Arts and Design
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The curriculum is divided into Prime and Specific areas, clearly identifying those first key skills that underpin all future learning. The guidance sets out the age-related expectations of learning and development and the early learning goals that most children are expected to achieve by the end of their Reception Year.
Mrs Diana Riley Nursery and Pre-School Leader
Contents Our aims
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Learning through play
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A stimulating environment
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Working with you
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What makes us different?
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Fees
20
Transport links
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Personal, social and Emotional development We provide opportunities for interaction with others, so that girls can develop positive ideas about themselves and their friends. All of the children are encouraged to express their ideas and feelings and to learn how to cope with new and challenging situations.
literacy Fostering the skills of reading and writing is built on adults and children enjoying playing with, and acting out rhymes and stories, as well as making books and engaging in role play activities. The girls develop an awareness of how written language works and the roots of their own writing can be seen as they begin to ascribe meaning to the marks they make in order to record their communication. Through focused teaching, the girls refine these skills, linking letters to sounds in meaningful ways, to support their development and enjoyment as a reader and writer.
Mathematics We encourage mathematical thinking and development by working with numbers and counting, sorting and matching shapes and working with spaces and measurements. We also promote use of knowledge and skills in these areas to solve problems, generate questions and make connections with other areas of learning and development.
Understanding the World The children are encouraged to explore and investigate objects and materials and to question how and why things work. They have the opportunity to use appropriate information technology such as computers and programmable toys to support their learning. They learn about their own and other cultures to understand and celebrate the similarities and differences in a diverse society.
communication and language In a language-rich environment, the girls are encouraged to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves effectively, in a range of situations. They learn to listen, respond and interact with others, showing their growing understanding as they answer questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.
Physical development We provide opportunities for the children to improve their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. They learn to move with confidence, imagination and safety with an awareness of space, themselves and others. This gives the children the positive experience of a healthy and active lifestyle.
Expressive arts and design Girls are encouraged to explore colour, shape, textures and form through painting, drawing and collage. They learn how to develop their imaginations through stories, role-playing, dance, music and art. The activities stimulate expression of their ideas and feelings through initiating their own learning and making decisions.
Our aims From the beginning of school life, our youngest pupils are encouraged to be helpful, honest, diligent and responsible for their own actions. We also focus on their emotional, spiritual and moral development.
Our aim is to provide a safe, secure, nurturing learning environment where every child is valued as an individual and encouraged to achieve her full potential. Children learn in different ways and at different speeds, which is why we work hard to get to know your daughter and to adopt the approach that will suit her best. Children learn best when they actively participate and feel valued when encouraged to share their knowledge with their peers. That is why we structure each day to focus on enjoyable learning experiences which extend natural curiosity, build selfesteem and encourage behaviour that is respectful and considerate of others. We continually assess and re-evaluate our working practices so that we can help your daughter to make the most of all the opportunities available to her.
The wide range of experiences provided throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage suits the needs and interests of the children and contributes well to their development. independent schools inspectorate report
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AESG places a real emphasis on getting to know the children as individuals, their likes and dislikes are catered for and there is always a fantasic atmosphere – our daughter really enjoys it! Mr and Mrs stanion Parents
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Learning through play Learning in Early Years provides a balance of focused teaching and carefully guided activities which encourage the children to explore, knowledge, skills and attributes.
Structured, engaging play and learning experiences enable the children to develop skills as life-long learners. During play, they are actively involved and motivated to learn. With the support of experienced professionals, the children are encouraged to think for themselves and to talk about and share their ideas as they investigate both indoors and outdoors.
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The children are provided with a wide variety of planned, purposeful play and learning opportunities which build on their own interests. This enables them to make connections with what is already familiar to them but also to develop further. They do this in a comfortable, stimulating and supportive environment where the needs of each child are valued and respected. Continuous observational assessment ensures that we provide well-planned activities based on the children’s interests, supporting them to learn with enjoyment and challenge. Each child’s progress is recorded throughout the year in her own individual ‘Learning Journey’ and includes observations made by our dedicated professionals.
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investigate and consolidate their developing
Many parents stated that they were impressed with the friendly, welcoming, warm atmosphere when they visited AESG and that their daughters fitted in straight away or felt ‘at home’ from their first visit.
Our daughter Lyla really looks forward to going to school and is always happy at the end of the day. The staff are wonderful and have such a warm and genuine relationship with the girls; we are very happy that she is at AESG. Mr and Mrs assassa Parents
A stimulating environment The Early Years department is the ideal place to start your daughter’s learning journey. She will feel both happy and secure in the bright and stimulating environment and benefit from our ability to make full use of all the facilities within
The Nursery, Pre-School and Reception classes are situated side by side and are linked by a bright and colourful cloakroom area. The children have access to a wide variety of excellent, quality resources to support and extend their activities.
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Both classrooms open on to a newly created and already well-loved outdoor area which is enjoyed daily. This area is partially protected by a canopy and has a soft play surface, large sandpit, monkey bars and climbing frame, and is also adjacent to a garden. Our generous storage areas enable children to access a wide variety of exciting resources independently, to develop their play.
Children thrive in this rich and varied learning environment with opportunities to develop the skills and attitudes that lay the foundations of future learning. The girls are also able to make full use of the school building to enhance their wider learning – we enjoy using the large space in the School Hall for Physical Education and the Food Technology room for baking our creations.
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the school building.
Working with you We work closely with our parents to ensure we develop confident and happy young girls in their early years as they prepare for school life. We appreciate that starting school can be a challenging experience, which is why we do not just make education fun for children but also support you, our parents, to prepare for the exciting changes that lie ahead.
We clearly recognise and value the important and vital role that you as parents play in your daughter’s education and look forward to working closely with you from the very start. We believe this partnership guarantees a positive learning experience and your daughter will develop a high sense of enthusiasm, self-esteem and confidence. You will always find a warm welcome in our Early Years department and staff are on hand to provide support and guidance as to how you can continue the learning at home as well as sharing and celebrating your daughter’s achievements at school.
We offer a high quality Early Years experience, providing a firm foundation on which we build future academic, creative, social and emotional success. It is never too soon to start building the parent-teacher relationship so we would encourage both you and your daughter to visit during term time, to meet our teaching team, come and experience the learning environment and discuss your needs with us.
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Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage at the School enjoy learning. They respond animatedly to their teachers and achieve high standards in relation to their starting point and aptitudes. independent schools inspectorate report
our communication It is vitally important that you choose the right school for your daughter’s education, which is why you will take the utmost care in making your decision. However, your choice marks the beginning not the end of the process. That is why we put so much effort into keeping our parents informed of the progress of their daughters. This is not only achieved via the weekly newsletters and reports but in our open door policy, whereby you are welcome to discuss any issue regarding your daughter by coming and speaking to us directly.
our Ethos We offer a child-centred and well-rounded approach from the Nursery right through to the Sixth Form. We place a special emphasis on celebrating girls’ interests and achievements both as individuals and in groups.
our Environment We are committed to providing a safe, exciting and stimulating learning environment for your daughter. More than that, we are dedicated to establishing excellent relationships with all our parents. In Early Years we offer a personal service and outstanding pastoral care, in every respect. We make a point of listening carefully to our parents and incorporate any positive suggestions that will further improve the Early Years department.
our People Our staff are specialists in the Early Years Foundation Stage, ensuring that the all-important first experience of learning is positive, productive and enjoyable. They understand the needs of children as they prepare to make the transition to Junior School and are able to recognise individual needs and to modify their approach accordingly.
Choosing the right school for your daughter is of paramount importance. That is why we put so much effort into working closely with our parents and keeping you informed of your daughter’s progress at every stage. All our staff are specialists in the Early Years curriculum, ensuring that girls journey. We are committed to providing a safe, fun and stimulating environment for them.
our approach We welcome girls from a variety of backgrounds and all are made to feel welcome within the School community. They all join us with their own talents and skills and we work hard to develop these and to help the children achieve. As a result they are quick to settle into school life and to make new friends.
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make an excellent start on their exciting learning
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What makes us different?
Admissions Overview for Early Years
Nursery Children are able to join the Nursery from their second birthday. Girls aged two will enter the Nursery and children aged three and four will enter our Pre-School as they prepare for transition into Reception. al d Erl Ey Ed gE s c ho ol f o r g i rls
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We offer a variety of attendance options to suit your needs and welcome visits to the Nursery by appointment. Whilst we aim to be flexible in the Nursery, minimum attendance is three half day sessions or two full days each week.
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Nursery – for those children aged two
Pre-school – for those children aged three and four
Sessions are as follows:
Sessions are as follows:
Morning including lunch: 8.00am – 1.00pm
Morning including lunch: 8.00am – 1.00pm
Afternoon including lunch: 12.00 noon – 4.00pm
Afternoon: 1.00pm – 3.30pm
Full Day: 8.00am – 4.00pm
Full Day: 8.00am – 3.30pm
Nursery fees
Pre-school fees
The current fees for those girls joining the Nursery are £2,138 per term. This is the fee payable each term for your daughter to attend 8.00am – 4.00pm Monday to Friday.
The current fees for those girls joining the Pre-School are £1,806 per term. This is the fee payable each term for your daughter to attend 8.00am – 3.30pm Monday to Friday.
reception Children join the Reception class at the start of the academic year in which they are five. The fees for those girls joining us in Reception are £2,172 per term, the fees include school lunches and personal accident insurance. Please note: The fees listed are for academic year 2013-2014, and are subject to an annual review. additional children
A variety of options are available and pricing is as follows: One full day per week per term: £455 One morning per week per term: (including lunch) £310 One afternoon per week per term: (including lunch) £254
A variety of options are available and pricing is as follows:
Should you have subsequent children joining the school and your first child is paying full fees, you will receive a sibling discount 10% – Second Child 20% – Third Child 50% – Fourth Child
One full day per week per term: £394 One morning per week per term: (including lunch) £231
free Early Education Entitlement
One afternoon per week per term: (excluding lunch) £163
Alderley Edge School for Girls is registered with Cheshire East Council to provide Free Early Education Entitlement for qualifying three and four year olds.
Early Bird club and after school care The school offers an Early Bird Club and an after school Funtime Club. The Early Bird Club runs daily between 8.00am and 8.25am where the girls will be registered, offered toast, milk or water and escorted to their class room for the start of school. This club is free of charge and open to those girls in Reception and throughout the Junior School. The AESG Funtime Club is open from 3.30pm until 5.45pm for full sessions. Children can also attend part sessions from 3.30pm – 4.30pm. There is an additional charge for Funtime Club. For further information please view www.aesg.co.uk.
Transport links Situated on the A34 Bypass in Alderley Edge, we are easily accessible by car, train and bus. The location of Alderley Edge Railway station, directly opposite the school, also helps to open up access for our girls with regular direct trains to Manchester and Crewe. We work with several private hire companies and the minibus and coach routes bring students to and from school from a wide area. The stops en route are flexible and we try our utmost to accommodate girls joining the school and to find options which will work for all.
open days Our Early Years and Junior School Open Days are being held on: Saturday 12 October 2013 from 10.00am – 12.30pm Saturday 15 March 2014 from 10.00am – 12.30pm In addition, we offer working day tours and Taster Days at your convenience.
application Procedure If you would like to visit the Early Years Department, please contact Julie Bedigan, School Registrar to book an appointment. There are no formal assessments for entry into Nursery or Reception classes but places are allocated on a first come first served basis. We also operate a waiting list if you wish to put your name down early. If you would like to apply for a place, please complete the enclosed application form and return it to us at your earliest convenience. An admission fee of £75.00 is payable at this time. The admissions policy and all other school policy information is available on our website www.aesg.co.uk
Alderley Edge School for Girls, Wilmslow Road, Cheshire, SK9 7QE T. 01625 583028 F. 01625 590271 E. schoolmail@aesg.co.uk www.aesg.co.uk Registered Company No. 2659703 Registered Charity No.1006726