Curriculum

EYFS

 

Intent

It is our aim to provide an inspiring, creative and rich Early Years environment; where all children feel safe, valued, confident and happy.

Our curriculum is designed to excite and engage all pupils; supporting them to progress from their individual starting points.

Above all, we recognise that the Foundation Years truly are the bedrock of all future learning. To that end, we strive to ensure all our children love learning and aren’t afraid to challenge themselves to achieve more.

We aim to:

  • ensure our children make sustained progress and are well prepared for the next stage of their education
  • use the ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ to underpin our provision and support our children to develop the skills needed to be life-long learners
  • provide a learning environment and provision that promotes independence and allows children to show initiative; encouraging them to be curious about the world around them
  • promote the acquisition of language; as we recognise this is key to academic success, high self-esteem and good metal health. With this in mind, language is at the centre of all aspects of our daily learning
  • build strong and positive relationships with parents, carers and the wider community as we recognise that this brings benefits to all
  • ensure all children develop respect for one another and understand their own self-worth

Implementation

We offer a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum, which builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills of all children, whatever their starting points.

Through a balance of child-initiated and guided learning, our curriculum provides children with memorable experiences and rich opportunities from which they can learn and develop a range of transferable skills.

We have high expectations for all children. Pupils work towards the Early Learning Goals of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.

We develop successful and happy early years learners through:

Managing teaching and learning

  • Offering a ‘broad and balanced’ education that meets the needs of all pupils. It facilitates all pupils to gain the skills, knowledge and understanding needed, as they start out on their educational journey
  • Delivering a ‘carefully sequenced’ curriculum which builds on previous skills, knowledge and understanding and offers elements of challenge to ensure pupils make sustained progress
  • Providing meaningful, play-based learning; with a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities
  • Using high quality questioning and interactions to check understanding and address misconceptions.
  • Planning and delivering a rigorous, daily phonics programme and developing children’s fluency in reading through our school’s carefully structured approach to the daily teaching of reading.

Learning environments, including enjoyment and engagement

  • Developing an inviting and inspiring classroom environment, which stimulates learners and engages them in quality thinking and reasoning
  • Developing children’s cultural capital, helping children experience the awe and wonder of the world in which they live
  • Building strong, nurturing and mutually respectful relationships between children and adults, where children feel valued and confident to participate
  • Staff acting as role models to the children they teach in order for children to develop their own speaking and listening skills
  • Using the ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’, in conjunction with our school ‘Learning Behaviours’, to equip children with the skills necessary to become successful and life-long learners
  • Developing an effective and engaging environment that is rich in language whilst taking into consideration the need for the children to be able to access all areas of learning, both inside and outside at any one time

Targeted learning and support

  • Ensuring that ‘The Unique Child’ is at the forefront of quality adult interactions and adopting a nurturing approach for those pupils who might need some reassurance to enable them to succeed
  • Ensuring learning matches the need of individual needs and starting points to ensure the opportunity for maximum progress to be made
  • Carefully assessing, through observations and providing effective feedback to all to help facilitate next steps in learning
  • Ensuring timely, purposeful and impactful interventions for pupils who are not making expected progress
  • Suggesting home learning opportunities with information about what has been taught, allowing parents to build on their child’s school experiences, at home

EYFS Policy – November 2021

Useful Weblinks

Hungry Little Minds https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/#3

What to expect in the Early Years Foundation Stage – a guide for parents.  https://foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf