Children in Early Years at Simon Balle All-through school attain highly. The proportion of children who achieve a ‘good level of development’ (which means reaching expected levels in the first five areas of learning shown below) has been consistently in line or above the national average. This figure was 71.7% in 2019 (the last  published and national data available pre-pandemic).

The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile changed in 2021-2022, and thus there is no national data yet to compare to Simon Balle data for 2022. The percentage of children achieving a ‘good level of development’ at Simon Balle is 71.0%, which compares with a local authority percentage of 64.7%.

Our Early Years curriculum at Simon Balle remains broad and ambitious, preparing children well to achieve the Early Learning Goals in each area, but, more than this, also providing them with a strong foundation in all subject areas to ensure progression into Year 1 and beyond. Our curriculum maps (please add link here to the curriculum page) are therefore plotted from Reception – Year 13 in all subject areas.

2022 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile at Simon Balle

The Early Learning Goals are now in the following areas:

CL = Communication and Language 

• Listening, attention and understanding
• Speaking

PSED = Personal, social and emotional development

• Self-regulation
• Managing self
• Building relationships 

PD = Physical development 

• Gross motor skills
• Fine motor skills 

L = Literacy

• Comprehension
• Word reading
• Writing

M = Mathematics 

• Number
• Numerical patterns 

UW = Understanding the World 

• Past and present
• People, culture and communities
• The natural world 

EAD = Expressive arts and design 

• Creating with materials
• Being imaginative and expressive 

The table below shows the percentage of children achieving ‘expected’ levels in each area, and also shows a comparison to local authority data for 2022.

All children  are expected and supported to make strong, and often accelerated progress, through the Early Years at Simon Balle. From careful observations of children during their child-initiated learning when they begin with us, as well as strong partnerships established between home and school, high expectations and personalised support are put in place for every child. As the year progresses, achievements are celebrated on Tapestry (our online system for tracking progress) and next steps are always followed through.

This embedded and strong practice continues as well as the introduction of the new national Reception baseline from September 2021. Please see information for parents here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1004560/2021_Information_for_parents_reception_baseline_assessment.pdf

Finally, the table below provides the historical context, showing the percentage of children reaching expected (age-related) levels at Simon Balle in 2019, in comparison with the national average for each area of learning.