Early Years

At Hollygirt we aim to provide your child with a good quality education, in a happy and secure environment. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) looks after children aged 3 to 5, in two classes: Kindergarten and Reception. The two year groups play together but are taught separately. They occupy a large self-contained room, adjacent to the Prep School. The room is bright, welcoming, safe and its walls are covered in the children’s work. They have a discrete area to facilitate the outdoor curriculum and share a playground with the Junior School.

The children use the other facilities of the school, for example computer suites and the school halls. Whilst all the children in Reception are full time, several begin Kindergarten on two or three days a week until they settle in. Our Nursery and Reception classes provide an excellent foundation for a Hollygirt education. We pride ourselves on an outstanding partnership with our EYFS parents. Parents are informed of half term topics and areas to focus on at home. Children take home a reading diary, which is a two-way communication tool between home and school.

Due to our small class sizes, teachers are able to go through phonics and read with each child individually, every day. We hold two Parents’ Evenings a year and each child receives a written report at the end of the year. In the Autumn Term, a twilight session is held to inform parents about the school day and the curriculum in more detail. Parents are invited to Kindergarten and Reception assemblies, EYFS Sports Day and a special EYFS Prize Giving ceremony. Parents can pop in at the beginning and end of any school day to discuss issues with the staff and can get involved in the full life of the school, by joining Friends of Hollygirt.