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            " High quality care and education at affordable prices "

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Our Curriculum 

At St Marks Preschool, we want every child to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to thrive now and in their future learning. Our curriculum is built around six key ambitions for every child.

We belong • We communicate and care • We grow healthy and strong • We explore safely • We play and discover • We make a difference.

 

Through our curriculum, we want children to learn to build positive relationships, communicate their needs and ideas, become increasingly independent, manage their emotions, keep themselves safe, make healthy choices, explore with curiosity, solve problems, persevere when things are difficult and care about the people and world around them. We want children to leave St Marks as happy, confident, curious and resilient learners, ready for the next stage of their education.

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Pedagogy 

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At St Marks Preschool, our pedagogy is child-centred, play-based and shaped by each child’s interests, strengths and individual needs. We get to know how every child learns and use their Characteristics of Effective Learning to guide our teaching. High-quality interactions are at the heart of our approach: adults listen carefully, join play sensitively, model language and skills, introduce new ideas and give children time to think, respond and try things for themselves. Our fortnightly planning system gives every child a personal next step. In week one, we focus on teaching this through meaningful play, planned experiences and child-led play; in week two, we observe and assess how children use their learning, identifying what is becoming secure and where further support or challenge is needed. These observations, alongside families’ contributions, inform the next fortnight’s teaching. Throughout both weeks, we respond to children’s discoveries and emerging interests, offering repeated opportunities to practise and deepen their understanding. This individual approach helps every child make progress from their own starting point, building confidence, independence and enjoyment in learning.

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Our Values 

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At St Marks Preschool, our six values shape the experiences we create for every child and the way we learn and grow together.

· We belong means everyone is welcomed, valued and celebrated, with trusting relationships that help children feel secure and proud of who they are.

· We communicate and care means every child has a voice, their feelings matter, and we nurture listening, kindness and friendship.

· We grow healthy and strong means we encourage healthy habits, joyful movement and growing independence in caring for ourselves.

· We explore safely means we build confidence to try new experiences, understand boundaries and ask for help.

· We play and discover means we celebrate curiosity, imagination and perseverance, giving children opportunities to explore ideas and delight in learning.

· We make a difference means we care for people and the planet, learning through everyday actions that even the smallest hands can make a positive contribution. Together, these values unite our children, families and staff in a caring community where every child can thrive.

 

 

Our Vision 

At St Marks Preschool, our vision is for every child to look forward to coming through our doors, knowing there are people who understand them, friends to play with and something exciting to discover. We want children’s ideas to help shape life at preschool, whether an interest becomes a shared adventure or a question leads us to explore something new together. We have high ambitions for every child, while recognising that their journey will be their own. By getting to know each child closely and working alongside their family, we want to recognise the small steps that represent big achievements for them and help them discover just how much they can do. Above all, we want children to leave St Marks with happy memories, confidence in their own ideas and the belief that “I can try, I can learn and I can keep going foundations they can take into school and beyond.