The essential building blocks to learning

It is really important for children to learn essential skills and knowledge as they move through the school.  This helps them to be prepared and understand what comes next. This is especially true in their first few years. That is when children learn to read, write and count. When they build a strong foundation in these areas, they can more easily learn everything else and be prepared for a lifetime of learning.  

In October 2024, Ofsted shared some helpful ideas about these important skills in their 'Strong Foundations' research.  In this research they identified 5 areas of 'Foundational Knowledge'.  

As a school we have used this research to create a list of foundational knowledge for our pupils.  We want to make sure that every child at Derry Hill School has the strong building blocks they need to succeed in the future.