At Worfield School, our well established Early Years unit provides a setting for children aged 3-5 years. The Early Years unit is located within the school building and is staffed by two qualified, experienced teachers, both of whom have specialised training within the Early Years. There are also a number of highly qualified teaching assistants to support the learning too.

Mrs. Lisa Dodsworth

EYFS Leader and Reception Class Teacher

After gaining my degree specialising in Early Years, I began my teaching career 14 years ago, working in Early Years for 11 of these. I joined the Worfield team in 2011 where I helped develop the Early Years Department, and have held the post of Early Years Leader for 2 years. Prior to this, I have been a specialist subject leader for many subjects including English across the Federation. I am a qualified Early Years Mathematics ‘Teaching for Mastery’ Lead Teacher. I am passionate about providing a creative curriculum and supporting the children to express themselves in a range of ways, engaging in learning through play. Creative play is so important for children’s learning and development, allowing them to communicate their feelings and foster and develop their curiosity and imagination.

Mrs. Sharon Tarrant

Nursery Teacher

Early Years education has always been my passion!
I have a primary teaching degree and specialised in Early Years and Early childhood development.
Nothing motivates me or the children more, than exploring the natural environment and I love teaching in our outdoor classroom or at Forest School.
We have such beautiful grounds at Worfield and the children benefit for accessing outdoor learning all year round – whatever the weather. I feel that children learn best when they are having fun, feel happy and are confident to take on new risks and challenges within the knowledge that their peers and adults will support them. It is truly amazing the amount of progress, both academically and personally children within our care make, along with precious memories that can last a lifetime.

Mrs. Jackie Weaver

Teaching Assistant

I have both a NVQ level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification and Higher Level Teaching Assistant status (HLTA). I am a qualified Forest School Practitioner and take children into our very own forest school areas for various activities – bringing the inside classroom outside. I am also qualified in paediatric first aid. Before school, Parents will often see me greeting the children at our early morning drop off. I also supervise the children on the playground.

Ms Joanna Galley

Having completed my (National Nursery Examining Board) NNEB qualification, I then qualified as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA). Working with young children offers huge rewards and I particularly enjoy seeing the awe and wonder of children as they explore and discover new experiences. Every child is different, and part of what I love about my job is that I get to help each one discover their own strengths and talents. It is a privilege to support them every day.

What is the Early Years Foundation Stage Unit?

Our Nursery children and our Reception children work alongside each other every morning within our Foundation Stage Unit, following the EYFS Curriculum. By combining the two groups we aim to ensure that the essential qualities of Early Years education will continue right through until the transition to Year 1. We have a play based, emotionally and physically secure environment where Nursery and Reception aged children are totally integrated and where children who remain with us from Nursery to Reception will not have to experience another move until the start of Year 1. We enable children from Nursery and Reception to socialise with each other, learn to turn take, and play collaboratively. By working in this way we are also able to offer a higher ratio of staff to children.

Within Early Years, our focus is to create confident, enthusiastic learners who have a broad range of knowledge and skills that will prepare them for their future learning journey. We believe that children learn best when they are happy, engaged and most importantly having lots of fun! This underpins all of the activities we provide within our setting.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework which is divided into prime and specific areas. These are as follows:

Prime Areas:

• Personal, Social & Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development

Specific Areas:

• Mathematics
• Literacy
• Understanding the World
• Expressive arts & Design

Further information about the Early Years Curriculum can be found at on the Government website.

The learning environment and activities are carefully planned to enable children to find out about the world whilst developing a range of core skills including a love of stories, phonics, mastery of maths, and strong personal and social skills to list but a few. Our children learn through play, skilfully guided by our qualified staff who encourage their natural curiosity and desire to explore. Children make excellent progress in our Nursery and our parents tell us that their children ‘are happy, well rounded individuals who have a desire to learn’. The transition from Nursery to Reception is seamless as the children are familiarised with the setting and the staff over the course of their Early Years journey.

At Worfield School we are exceptionally blessed with a vast expanse of outdoor space within a picturesque setting. The children have free flow access to our own outdoor area which includes balancing beams, giant sand pit, construction yard, mud-kitchen, 2 storey playhouse and two sheltered areas for wet weather days. As well as our own Early Years area, the children have a large, grassed playing field and an on-site Forest School that the children visit regularly.

If you would like further information please contact the school via email or telephone.

Kind Regards
Mrs Dodsworth (Early Years Leader & Reception Class Teacher)
Mrs Tarrant (Nursery Class Teacher)