The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is fundamental in preparing children for their future educational journey. Our Nursery offers children aged 2 and above the best possible start to life in a secure, safe and happy environment. It provides strong foundations for them to develop their individual interests and talents as they grow.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum provides a framework within which children can benefit from both child-initiated learning opportunities and planned sessions designed to stimulate learning and growth. Children have full access to outdoor play areas, including our Discovery Garden. Additionally, the facilities within the school – such as the sports hall, astro pitch, music school and theatre – expose the children to a wide variety of experiences and opportunities.
Each day at Nursery offers something different – including taught activities like PE, languages, Music and Eco Explorers. Children attend assembly each Friday, they are involved in the Prep School Nativity and Summer Concerts and participate in off-site educational trips, sports days and all other areas of school life. Nursery pupils are fully integrated into the school community and are in regular contact with older pupils and specialist teaching staff, fostering a strong sense of community cohesion and belonging.
At Dover College, we believe that every child’s learning journey should be filled with discovery, encouragement, and opportunity. As children move on from Nursery into our Pre-Reception class, they take an exciting next step, becoming an increasingly confident and independent member of our school community. Building on the strong foundations established in Nursery, children benefit from a carefully planned and progressive curriculum, guided by a qualified teacher, which prepares them for the next stage of their education.
Learning becomes increasingly structured, with daily phonics and early mathematics activities introducing and developing the essential skills children will need as they move towards Reception. Through Jigsaw PSHE, children develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others, learning to build positive relationships, manage their feelings and become confident members of a group. Across all seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), learning is carefully extended, with increasing opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and independence.
Our Pre-Reception children enjoy a wealth of exciting experiences that bring learning to life. They have opportunities to explore our beautiful College grounds, discover the natural world through outdoor learning and Eco Explorer experiences, and develop their curiosity through hands-on activities. They benefit from experiences in areas such as music, languages and PE, introducing them to new skills and interests from an early age.
Being part of Dover College also provides wonderful opportunities to become involved in the wider school community. Children enjoy sharing experiences with older pupils, building friendships and developing a sense of belonging. From participating in school celebrations and seasonal events to singing, dancing and performing on stage, our children are given opportunities to shine, overcome nerves and celebrate their achievements in front of an audience.
As the year progresses, children are encouraged to take greater responsibility for themselves and their learning. They develop their ability to listen, concentrate, follow instructions, share, take turns, solve simple problems and work collaboratively with others. We place great importance on nurturing resilience, curiosity and a positive attitude towards new challenges, ensuring that children develop the social, emotional and practical skills needed to thrive in Reception.
By the time children leave pre-reception, they have made an important step forward in their learning journey. They are more independent, confident and engaged learners, with growing foundations in phonics and mathematics and the social and emotional readiness to embrace Reception.
At Dover College, every child is welcomed, valued and encouraged to discover what they can achieve. We aim to have our Pre-Reception children feeling proud of how far they have come, excited about learning and confident that they belong to our College community, ready to embrace all that Reception has to offer.
We seek to excite and enthuse our pupils in their learning through engagement with a broad and balanced curriculum which is delivered in a structured yet creative way.
Topics and themes provide the opportunity to immerse the children in their learning in a cross-curricular approach whilst having a clear educational purpose and true educational value. We focus not only on what to learn but also on how to learn. The acquisition and development of Life and Learning skills are integral in all aspects of our curriculum and are vital for your child’s future. The children learn to research and extend their knowledge, engaging in individual projects, group work and presentations.
We develop core skills and focus most of the morning lessons on improving skills in reading, writing and numeracy. The National Curriculum is followed in terms of content for English and Mathematics to ensure the vital building blocks are in place for future life skills, challenges and examinations.
There is no more sitting in class wondering, “Why am I learning this?” or “I won’t need this when I’m older!” We believe in the value of all subjects and want the children to feel that there is a practical use for everything they learn in school. Many subjects are delivered by specialist teachers and wherever possible are linked within the topic and theme that provides an all-around connected learning journey.
Our curriculum offers languages including French from Reception as well as games/PE lessons twice weekly. In preparation for Senior School, Prep 5 and 6 make use of the senior school facilities and expertise in additional subjects including Drama, Computing and Science.
The addition of Eco Explorers into the curriculum is a popular one. Eco Explorers gives every child in our Prep School the opportunity to learn outdoors, explore the world around them and develop a genuine understanding of how we can care for our environment. The Dover College campus, and in particular our Discovery Garden, provides the perfect setting for our Eco Explorers.
The Dover College Curriculum caters for all and celebrates every pupil’s strengths and achievements, developing skills so that the children become independent and confident, risk-taking learners. We encourage them constantly to think differently.
At Dover College, we believe that swimming is an essential life skill, and we are delighted to offer our pupils the opportunity to take part in swimming lessons every week throughout the academic year, from Reception through to Prep 6.
Our regular swimming programme provides children with the opportunity to develop their water confidence, improve their technique and build their swimming ability progressively as they move through the school. From those first exciting experiences in the water to developing stronger strokes, stamina and more advanced skills, each child is encouraged to challenge themselves and celebrate their progress.
Swimming offers so much more than physical development. It helps children build confidence, resilience, independence and determination, while learning the importance of water safety and respect for the aquatic environment.
With lessons taking place every week, being taught by qualified swimming instructors, children benefit from consistency and continuity, allowing them to develop their skills over time and make meaningful progress. Our aim is for every pupil to leave Dover College as a confident and capable swimmer, equipped with an important life skill that they can enjoy and rely upon for years to come.
At Dover College, we encourage every child to dive in, embrace a challenge and achieve their personal best!
