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Early Years

 

Early Years Curriculum Statement

What Early Years looks like in Goodrich CE (VC) Primary School

CURRICULUM INTENT

Curriculum Intent

We follow the ‘Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2023’ in which the statutory requirements for ‘Learning & Development’, ‘Assessment’ and ‘Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements’ are set out.

The principles of Early Years explain that each child is unique and when positive relationships and enabling environments are provided then children will be able to learn and develop.

There are seven areas of learning and development.

The Prime Areas of Learning are:

* Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Personal, social and emotional development skills are essential for children so that they can grow to lead happy, healthy lives. Children are supported to understand their own needs and feelings building a positive sense of self so that they can then learn how to interact and collaborate with others. They develop the characteristics needed for effective learning and begin to understand the way in which people behave in different situations.

* Communication and Language

The ability to listen, understand and speak effectively supports learning across all areas of learning. In a language-rich environment conversations between adults and children and between children and their peers help children to develop these important skills. Adults model speaking and listening skills, share a range of texts with enjoyment, engage children in rhyme, musical and role-play activities and introduce new vocabulary in different contexts through shared interactions across all areas of learning.

* Physical Development

Children develop their gross and fine motor control through play activities both indoors and outdoors. The development of gross motor skills help the children to move confidently and be healthy. Fine motor skill development activities such as small world play, puzzles and the use of loose parts help children to learn how to handle tools and equipment with control and co-ordination.

The Specific Areas of Learning are:

* Literacy

Children develop reading and writing skills in a language-rich environment. Interactions between staff, children and parents develop the language comprehension skills needed to understand the world around them. Phonetic skills are developed from shared listening and musical activities to specific decoding and recognition of printed words. The development of composition, spelling and handwriting skills through a variety of activities build writing skills.

* Mathematics

Children develop an understanding across different areas of mathematics through a range of activities using a variety of resources to engage their interest.

- Comparison

- Counting

- Cardinality

- Composition

- Spatial awareness

- Shape

- Pattern

- Measures

The children develop a deep understanding of numbers up to 10 with encouragement to explore and make connections in their learning.

* Understanding of the World

Children gain a knowledge and understanding of the world through personal experiences of their community and by listening to stories, engaging in non-fiction texts, rhymes and poems to build their understanding of the wider world.

* Expressive Arts and Design

Imagination and creativity are developed when children have opportunities to explore and play with a variety of media and materials. When children experience the arts they begin to appreciate and respond - developing their own understanding, communication and expression.

We use the ‘Typical Progression in Development and Learning’ statements from ‘Birth to Five Matters- Non-Statutory Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2021’ when planning learning opportunities.

Children in the Early Years are developing ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ which provide the basis for successful learning throughout their learning journey.

Playing and Exploring – Engagement

  • Finding out and exploring
  • Playing with what they know
  • Being willing to have a go

Active Learning – Motivation

  • Being involved and concentrating
  • Keep trying
  • Enjoying what they set out to do

Creative & Critical Thinking – Thinking

  • Having their own ideas
  • Making links
  • Working with ideas

Statutory Assessment

* Progress Check at Age Two

* Reception Baseline Assessment

* Early Years Foundation Stage Profile - The Early Learning Goals set out the expected level that children should reach by the end of the Reception year. This forms the EYFS Profile that is shared with parents/carers and their Year 1 teacher.

 

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

Curriculum Implementation

The Unique Child

Every child brings their own unique experiences and understanding of concepts to our school. Adults observe and reflect on what the children know, understand and need to practise in order to plan activities and enhancements to the provision. The children are supported to recognise their own emotions and behaviour so that they can begin to interact with others and gain a sense of belonging with their own class and the wider school community.

Positive Relationships

Positive interactions between children, staff and families help children to feel secure and settled within their setting. Each child is assigned a key person who is able to support and respond to a child’s learning and development. In Wrens, the class teacher and teaching assistant work together in this role. In Wrens, home learning activities are sent home regularly in order to practise and embed the knowledge and skills introduced in class. These activities include reading books, Home Library Review, mathematics games and literacy tasks.

Opportunities for parents/carers to attend special activity afternoons are planned throughout the year.

Families are also encouraged to attend Celebration Worships, shared church services and performances such as the Christmas Nativity in order to celebrate children’s achievements.

Enabling Environment

Our indoor and outdoor provision provides opportunities for children to explore different areas of learning with an understanding that individuals will bring their own ideas and experiences when engaging with learning resources. In a nurturing and supportive environment, the children are encouraged to use a range of senses to discover the world around them. Through independent, collaborative, child and adult-led play the children are given space and time to explore. We try to use natural open-ended resources to develop creativity and imagination. The children learn how to look after their own environment and are given regular opportunities to spend time in Forest School and visit St Giles’ Church and Goodrich Castle.

The prime and specific areas of learning are developed through the use of opportunities for children to explore through child led and adult supported play; daily routines and short adult focused input sessions. Our school is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We feel it is important that the children experience the changing seasons in the natural world around us. We use these experiences to inspire and provoke learning across all areas of learning.  

The continuous provision provides resources in response to observations made by members of staff within the class and specific themes introduced in adult-let input sessions.

Regular and consistent routines are planned to cover key skills and help children to build an understanding of the behavioural expectations of the setting. Similar routines between Nursery and Reception help the transition from Goldcrests into Wrens. Children in Wrens engage in whole school activities such as Collective Worship, shared play times and lunchtimes which also aids the transition into Year 1.

Daily ‘Song and Rhyme’ times and story times are used throughout the early years. Daily synthetics phonics, maths and topic sessions are introduced as children move into Wrens.

 

Through modelling, shared play and interactions between staff and children the children begin to develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning. These link to the TIPTOP toolkit used throughout the school to build lifelong learners (Thoughtful, Independent, Perseverance, Team Player, Organised, Pioneer) The children develop their understanding of TIPTOP through play experiences, discussions, listening to stories and Collective Worship times (in Wrens).

When children are playing and exploring there are opportunities to be a team player and learn how to be independent. When children are engaged in active learning there are opportunities to be independent and to persevere. Children are encouraged to develop creative and critical thinking skills so that they become thoughtful learners that show confidence in their own ideas as a pioneer.

Regular observations are made to inform the planning of the continuous provision and adult-led sessions. The ‘Typical Progression in Development and Learning’ statements from ‘Birth to Five Matters- Non-Statutory Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2021’ are used as a guide to a child’s expected level with an understanding that children develop and learn at different rates. Children are encouraged to deepen their understanding and apply their learning in different contexts to ensure that they are secure in their learning. Children who are working at an emerging level for their age are offered individualised support through 1:1 or small group sessions. These may be short interventions or linked to programmes set up by outside agencies such as Speech & Language Therapists or Physiotherapists. Children at an emerging level are also monitored by the school SENDCo and further referrals made where necessary.

 

CURRICULUM IMPACT

Part of our school vision is ‘You are like light for the whole world.’  Matthew 5:14

Throughout the early years the children build the basis of Characteristics of Effective Learning and show engagement and enjoyment in learning. They have confidence to play/work on their own and with others. They are beginning to regulate their behaviour so that they can continue to develop knowledge, skills and understanding on their continuing learning journey.

Children are able to recall and build upon their previous learning. They enjoy sharing stories and texts and can apply the mathematical skills they have learned. They are able to use a widened vocabulary and use language skills across all areas of learning. By the end of Reception most children achieve all the Early Learning Goals and the percentage of children achieving a Good Level of Development is at least in line with national expectations. The children continue to widen and embed their understanding of phonics throughout Year 1 so that the percentage of children passing the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check is at least in line with national expectations.

The children gain an understanding of themselves and how they are a part of our school community and the wider world. The children are encouraged to make choices with an awareness that they are ‘like light for the whole world’ they can share what they know to be role models to others.

 

Birth to 5 Matters

EY Progression

 

Threshold Concept

‘Communication conveys meaning.’

 

Listening and Attention

Understanding

Speaking

Stage 2

(12 - 18 months)

* Moves whole body to sounds they enjoy, such as music or a regular beat.

* Concentrates intently on an object or activity of own choosing for short periods.

* Pays attention to dominant stimulus – easily distracted by noises or other people talking.

* Enjoys laughing and being playful with others.

 

* Is developing the ability to follow others’ body language, including pointing and gesture.

* Responds to simple questions when in a familiar context with a special person (e.g. Where’s Mummy?, Where’s your nose?)

* Understanding of single words in context is developing, e.g. cup, milk, daddy.

* Uses sounds in play, e.g. brrrm for toy car.

* Uses single words.

* Frequently imitates words and sounds.

* Enjoys babbling and increasingly experiments with using sounds.

* Uses words to communicate for a range of purposes (e.g. teddy, more, no, bye-bye)

* Uses pointing with eye gaze, and then fingers or hands, to make requests and to share an interest.

* Creates personal words as they begin to develop language.

 

Stage 3

(18 – 24 months)

 

* Listens to and enjoys rhythmic patterns in rhymes and stories, trying to join in with actions or vocalisations.

* Enjoys rhymes and demonstrates listening by trying to join in with actions or vocalisations.

* Pays attention to own choice of activity, may move quickly from activity to activity.

 

* Understands different situations - able to follow routine events and activities using nonverbal cues.

* Selects familiar objects by name and will go and find objects when asked, or identify objects from a group.

* Understands simple sentences (e.g. Throw the ball)

* Copies familiar expressions, e.g. Oh dear, All gone.

* Uses different types of everyday words (nouns, verbs and adjectives, e.g. banana, go, sleep, hot).

* Beginning to put two words together (e.g. Want ball, More juice).

* Beginning to ask simple questions.

* Beginning to talk about people and things that are not present.

* Uses gestures, sometimes with limited talk, e.g. reaches toward toy, saying Want it.

 

Stage 4

(24 – 36 months)

 

* Listens with interest to the noises adults make when they read stories.

* Recognises and responds to many familiar sounds, e.g. turning to a knock on the door, looking at or going to the door.

* Shows interest in play with sounds, songs and rhymes.

* Single channelled attention; can shift to a different task if attention fully obtained – using child’s name helps focus.

 

* Identifies action words by following simple instructions, e.g. Show me jumping.

* Beginning to understand more complex sentences, e.g. Put your toys away and then sit on the carpet.

* Understands who, what, where in simple questions (e.g. Who’s that? Who can? What’s that? Where is?)

* Developing understanding of simple concepts (e.g. fast/slow, good/bad)

 

* Uses language to share feelings, experiences and thoughts.

* Holds a conversation, jumping from topic to topic.

* Learns new words very rapidly and is able to use them in communicating.

* Uses a variety of questions (e.g. what, where, who).

* Uses longer sentences (e.g. Mummy gonna work).

* Beginning to use word endings (e.g. going, cats).

Stage 5

(36 – 48 months+)

* Listens to others in one-to-one or small groups, when conversation interests them.

* Listens to familiar stories with increasing attention and recall.

* Joins in with repeated refrains and anticipates key events and phrases in rhymes and stories.

* Focusing attention – can still listen or do, but can change their own focus of attention.

* Is able to follow directions (if not intently focused).

 

* Understands use of objects (e.g. Which one do we cut with?)

* Shows understanding of prepositions such as under, on top, behind by carrying out an action or selecting correct picture.

* Responds to instructions with more elements, e.g. Give the big ball to me; collect up all the blocks and put them in the box.

* Beginning to understand why and how questions

* Beginning to use more complex sentences to link thoughts (e.g. using and, because).

* Able to use language in recalling past experiences.

* Can retell a simple past event in correct order (e.g. went down slide, hurt finger).

* Uses talk to explain what is happening and anticipate what might happen next.

* Questions why things happen and gives explanations.

* Asks e.g. who, what, when, how.

*  Beginning to use a range of tenses (e.g. play, playing, will play, played).

* Continues to make some errors in language (e.g. runned) and will absorb and use language they hear around them in their community and culture.

* Uses intonation, rhythm and phrasing to make the meaning clear to others.

* Talks more extensively about things that are of particular importance to them.

* Builds up vocabulary that reflects the breadth of their experiences.

* Uses talk in pretending that objects stand for something else in play, e.g. This box is my castle.

Stage 6

(48 – 60 months+)

* Shows variability in listening behaviour; may move around and fiddle but still be listening or sit still but not absorbed by activity.

* May indicate two-channelled attention, e.g. paying attention to something of interest for short or long periods; can both listen and do for short span.

 

* Understands a range of complex sentence structures including negatives, plurals and tense markers.

* Beginning to understand humour, e.g. nonsense rhymes, jokes.

* Able to follow a story without pictures or props.

* Listens and responds to ideas expressed by others in conversation or discussion.

* Understands questions such as who; why; when; where and how.

 

* Extends vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming, exploring the meaning and sounds of new words.

* Uses language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences in play situations.

* Links statements and sticks to a main theme or intention.

* Uses talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events.

* Introduces a storyline or narrative into their play.

 

 

EY ELG Assessment