Early Years
A Guide for Parents
Welcome St Helen’s School provides a nurturing start in the Early Years, where children develop confidence, curiosity, and independence. Through a carefully balanced blend of play and structured learning, young learners are supported to explore, discover, and thrive in a warm and stimulating environment.
We are delighted that you are considering St Helen’s for your family. Our school is a warm, nurturing community where children are encouraged to grow in confidence, curiosity and develop a love of learning. Starting school is an exciting milestone for both pupils and parents, and we understand that it can bring a mixture of emotions. At St Helen’s, we are committed to making this important transition as smooth and positive as possible, ensuring every pupil feels happy, secure and valued from the very beginning.
"From the moment our daughter joined St Helen's Nursery, she felt happy, secure and excited to learn. The nurturing environment, caring staff and endless opportunities for exploration have helped her grow in confidence and independence."
Our Early Years setting provides a nurturing, stimulating and inspiring environment where children are encouraged to explore, play and gain confidence. Through rich learning experiences, caring relationships and a strong partnership with families, we aim to foster curiosity, independence and a lifelong love of learning. We recognise that every child is unique, and we take great pride in supporting each individual to flourish socially, emotionally and academically. Together, we will build strong foundations that will support your child through their school journey.
We hope this is the beginning of a relationship that will extend over many happy and successful years, and we look forward to welcoming you into our community.
A day in EYFS No two days are ever the same in EYFS at St Helen's and that's exactly how we like it! Every day is packed with exciting opportunities to learn, explore, be creative and have fun. From the moment the girls arrive until story time at the end of the day, every activity is a chance to discover something new. Our broad, engaging and challenging curriculum includes phonics, maths, literacy, topic work, art, craft and much more, all delivered through inspiring, hands-on learning.
We are also fortunate to enjoy specialist teaching in PE, Music, Drama, Swimming and Ballet, giving every girl the opportunity to develop new skills and discover new passions. Of course, there is also time to enjoy a delicious lunch and play with friends in our wonderful outdoor spaces. Each week, we come together for joyful singing assemblies and celebration assemblies, where we recognise the fantastic effort, achievements and acts of kindness shown by our girls.
Curriculum including Child Initiated Learning Our curriculum is built upon the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework, providing a strong foundation for every child's learning and development. We are committed to delivering highquality teaching and carefully planned learning opportunities that ensure all children are challenged appropriately. Using a topic-based approach, we create meaningful cross-curricular links that bring learning to life. Our curriculum is further enriched through educational visits, workshops, visitors and hands-on activities that inspire curiosity and deepen understanding. We are also incredibly fortunate to have outstanding facilities, which provide our pupils with exciting opportunities to explore, investigate and develop their skills in a stimulating and varied environment. This all fosters a love of learning, nurtures individual talents and ensures every child is supported to fulfil their potential.
Specialist teachers Swimming, Ballet, Music, Drama Pupils in Nursery and Reception have weekly lessons with a specialist teacher. Drama in Early Years Foundation Stage provides children with regular opportunities to develop confidence, creativity and communication through imaginative play, storytelling, role-play and movement.
Weekly ballet lessons are led by our team of qualified teachers. These lessons provide opportunities to develop coordination, balance, strength and spatial awareness through movement and music. Pupils will be introduced to simple ballet positions, stretches and travelling steps in a playful and age-appropriate manner.
Music plays an important role in pupils’ early development. Weekly lessons provide opportunities for children to develop listening skills, rhythm, coordination and self-expression through singing, movement and exploration of a range of instruments. Songs, action rhymes and musical games all help pupils to recognise patterns, beats and changes in sound, fostering both musical understanding and a love of music.
We include specialist French teaching in the EYFS to develop curiosity, confidence and a positive attitude towards learning languages and other cultures. In these sessions, pupils engage in activities in French, introduced through songs, stories and play. Pupils also benefit from PE lessons, which support the development of coordination, strength and teamwork in a fun and engaging way. From the summer term of Nursery, children have weekly swimming sessions, led by qualified teachers. These are carefully structured to build water confidence, develop early swimming skills and promote a positive and safe approach to physical activity.
Outdoor learning including Forest School
We believe that some of the most meaningful learning happens outside the classroom. Our dedicated Forest School Area provides girls with exciting opportunities to learn from the natural environment through hands-on experiences, practical exploration and physical challenges. The outdoors inspires curiosity, encourages resilience and creates many opportunities for discovery, helping children connect their learning to real-life experiences. At St Helen’s, we embrace every opportunity to take learning outside, whether it's phonics, maths, science, art or creative play, because we believe any lesson can be enriched by the outdoor environment. With our exceptional site, which includes expansive playgrounds, orchards, fields, an allotment and woodland spaces, St Helen's offers a truly inspiring setting where children can explore, discover and thrive.
3+/4+ Entrance assessments At St Helen's, our assessment process is designed to be as relaxed, welcoming and child-centred as possible. Each January, along with other points in the year, we invite prospective girls to join us for a play-based assessment in our EYFS classroom and outdoor environment.
Our experienced Early Years team spends time getting to know each child through play, conversation and exploration, allowing us to see each child’s personality.
We are not looking for a one-size-fits-all model or a polished performance; instead, we value curiosity, kindness and a willingness to engage with the world around them. We know that every girl grows, develops and flourishes in her own time. Our role is to recognise that special spark and provide the support and opportunities for it to flourish.
Wrap around care Our Wrap around care is provided by Junior Adventures Group (JAG). They provide high-quality wraparound care for pupils at St Helen’s, offering a breakfast club and after-school care for pupils from Nursery-Year 6. This is open from 7.30am until 6:00pm every full school day. There are a range of activities offered during the sessions, including sports, games and arts and crafts.
Visit us We also warmly invite families to our Stay and Play sessions, where they can experience EYFS for themselves, meet our staff and ask questions in an informal setting. Throughout the year, families are welcome to attend tours and Open Events, which will give further insight into the St Helen's community. Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions parents make, and we are committed to supporting and reassuring families every step of the way. Contact our Admissions Team at admissions@sthelens.london or calling 01923 843230
St Helen’s School Eastbury Road Northwood Middlesex HA6 3AS admissions@sthelens.london enquiries@sthelens.london 01923 843210 www.sthelens.london
@sthelensnorthwood @sthelensnorthwood St Helen’s School London @StHelensSchoolNorthwood