Early Years Foundation Stage
The Reception class has its own facilities, including a well equipped outside space where children are educated in an integrated approach to learning. The children have the opportunity to use all the space and free flow between class and outside. The curriculum is delivered through structured play where learning has been clearly identified.
The Early Years curriculum has been planned to ensure the children are ready for the next stage in their school journey. We have considered what experiences and vocabulary children have come into school with and what they need to be successful in Key Stage One (from Year 1). Details about how the curriculum in Early Years is structured can be found on the other subject pages and also in the long term plan at the bottom of the page. We also focus on topics that are of interest to the children and adapt our planning to take this into account.
Each child is viewed as an individual with specific needs being met in appropriate ways, and with individuality being encouraged. Independence is fostered and each child is encouraged to reach their full potential. The curriculum includes weekly opportunities for Forest School in our Forest School area. This area includes an outside classroom, mud kitchen and a firepit.
The Early Years Foundation Stage focuses on effective learning and teaching within seven areas:
• Communication and language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
• Physical development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
• Personal, social and emotional development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.
• Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
• Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures.
• Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
• Expressive arts and design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.
There are many ways that parents can be involved in their child’s learning in Reception – listen to your child read daily; help with home learning; ensure your child wears full school uniform, read stories together, offer any expert help relevant to the topics, and share WOW moments that you observe with the class adults. Wow moments are when you see your child try or do something new. This might be laying the table independently or dancing in front of an audience for the first time.