EYFS – Whitby Class

St Hilda of Whitby

“Let the little children come to me.”
— Luke 18:16

Reception Teacher & Early Years Leader: Miss Jackson
Early Years Team: Mrs Crowther (TA), Mrs Cassidy (NN), Mrs Crabtree Part-time NN) and Miss Quinn (Part-time NN)

Welcome to Whitby Class

Welcome to Whitby Class, home to our Nursery and Reception children.

We aim to create a happy, nurturing and engaging environment where children feel safe, valued and excited to learn. Relationships, independence, curiosity and a strong sense of belonging are at the heart of our Early Years provision.

Children learn through a carefully planned balance of play, exploration, stories, talk, practical experiences and adult-led teaching, both indoors and outdoors.

We want every child to grow in confidence, develop a love of learning and feel that they truly belong at St Ignatius.

Our Learning

Throughout the year, children enjoy a wide range of experiences including:

• daily stories, songs and rhymes;
• phonics and early reading;
• practical maths;
• creative and imaginative play;
• construction and investigation;
• outdoor learning;
• physical development;
• prayer, liturgy and Religious Education;
• and opportunities to explore the natural world.

Our Reception children follow Little Wandle for phonics and early reading, while Nursery children develop the listening, language and phonological awareness skills that prepare them for Reception.

You can find full details of our curriculum on our Early Years Curriculum and Early Reading & Phonics pages.

Outdoor Learning

Outdoor learning is an important part of every day in Whitby Class.

Our outdoor area gives children opportunities to move, investigate, build, create, communicate and solve problems in different ways.

Children access the outdoors throughout the year, so please ensure they come to school with suitable clothing for the weather.

Reading at Home

Books and stories are a very important part of life in Whitby Class.

Reception children bring home reading material linked to their phonics learning, and we encourage all families to share stories regularly at home.

Reading together helps children develop vocabulary, confidence, imagination and, most importantly, a love of books.

Working Together

We value a strong partnership with parents and carers.

ClassDojo is used to share important messages, reminders, photographs and updates about learning in Whitby Class.

We love celebrating children’s achievements and sharing the special moments that happen throughout their Early Years journey.

We look forward to helping every child flourish through faith and learning during their time in Whitby Class.