At Holley Park Academy, we believe that every child is at the heart of their own learning and development. By believing in each child and providing carefully planned, meaningful opportunities, we enable them to grow in confidence, develop key skills, and achieve their full potential.

In our mixed Early Years provision, children learn together in a carefully designed open-plan environment that encourages curiosity, exploration, and independence. Our provision has recently been further developed in partnership with one of the Department for Education’s Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs, ensuring that our approach is informed by current research and best practice. Resources have been thoughtfully selected to be open-ended and include natural and real-life materials that inspire creativity, problem-solving, and purposeful play.

Our Vision

At Holley Park Academy, our vision is Work Together, Achieve More. This is embedded throughout our Early Years provision and underpinned by the 5 R’s of Learning, which support children in becoming confident, effective learners:

Resilience – We don’t give up when the going gets tough.

Resourcefulness – We find different ways to get things done.

Risk-Taking – We learn from our mistakes until we succeed.

Relationships – We work well with others and treat them with respect.

Reflection – We learn from our experiences

Our Early Years Curriculum

Our Early Years curriculum has been carefully constructed using the Development Matters guidance and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. Our provision is Reggio Emilia–inspired, reflecting our belief that children are naturally curious, capable learners who are motivated to explore and make sense of the world around them.

As a school, we aim to create an environment that nurtures curiosity and a love of learning, in line with the Reggio philosophy. Leaders and staff have intentionally designed the learning environment to act as a “third teacher”, supporting and extending children’s learning through thoughtful layout, resources, and opportunities for exploration.

‘This curriculum has firm foundations in the early years provision. The youngest children in school enjoy a vibrant learning environment. They quickly settle into established routines. Pupils develop resilience and independence. Adults model language and vocabulary clearly. Children use this vocabulary independently intheir learning. Some children making papier-mâché ‘planets’ from balloons describe Mars

 Children are ready for their next stage of education in key stage 1 as the result of quality provision and well-planned transition.

Ofsted June 2024

Phonics and Early Reading

At Holley Park Academy, we recognise that strong phonics teaching is the foundation of early reading and writing success. We place a high priority on phonics to ensure that all children develop the skills, confidence, and enjoyment needed to become fluent readers.

We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised phonics scheme, which provides a systematic, consistent, and rigorous approach to teaching early reading. Phonics is taught daily, and sessions are carefully planned to build knowledge step by step, ensuring children are supported to keep up rather than catch up. Lessons are engaging, well-paced, and matched closely to children’s current phonics knowledge.

High-quality reading practice sessions are delivered regularly in small groups, allowing children to apply their phonics skills through fully decodable books that are closely matched to the sounds they have been taught. This ensures success, builds confidence, and promotes a love of reading from an early age.

Mathematics

At Holley Park Academy, we believe that strong mathematical understanding is key to children’s confidence and success across all areas of learning. Our Early Years provision places a strong emphasis on developing a deep understanding of number, patterns, shapes, and problem-solving skills from the very start.

We follow the Maths — No Problem! approach, which encourages children to explore mathematical concepts through practical, engaging, and structured activities. This mastery-based approach ensures that children develop a secure understanding of key concepts before moving on, promoting long-term retention and confidence.

Join Our Early Years Setting

 

If you would like your child to join our Early Years setting at Holley Park Academy, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch with the school office to arrange a visit or find out more about our provision.

Email: info.holleypark@nllt.co.uk      Phone: 0191 417 0303

 

Should you wish to find out more information as to how you can support your child's journey within Early Years, please visit the following:

https://startingreception.co.uk/

Development Matters - Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage (publishing.service.gov.uk)

What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf (foundationyears.org.uk)   

For parents | Letters and Sounds (littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk)