Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years education we offer our children is based on the principle that:
- Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning
- Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships
- Children learn and develop well in enabling environments
- Children develop and learn in different ways
The curriculum of the Foundation Stage underpins all future learning and is based on ongoing observations and assessments in three prime areas of learning:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
and four specific areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Children in the Early Years have access to a learning area where provision is made to cover the different areas of learning in the Foundation Stage curriculum. Outdoor learning is actively encouraged and children have access to the outdoor learning area, which is resourced to meet each curriculum area. We plan for an environment that encourages a positive attitude to learning and reflects the child’s interests, passions and abilities. Materials and equipment are used to reflect the community that children come from and from the wider world. Children are encouraged to make their own selection of the activities on offer to encourage independent learning as well as working alongside adults in focused activities.
In Nursery regular phonics sessions take place which concentrates on developing children’s speaking and listening skills in preparation for learning sounds. The emphasis is on getting children to listen to the sounds around them and supporting them to begin oral blending and segmenting. In Reception daily phonics sessions follow the guidance in ‘Letters and Sounds’ document and in line with the school’s English policy. This also includes the use of ‘Jolly Phonics’ to support these key skills of early reading.
Mathematics follows the Mathematics Mastery approach in Reception and activities are developed and adapted to meet the needs of the children in line with the school’s Mathematics policy and Calculation policy. Adult-initiated activities develop skills within other areas of learning.
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