Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Intent:  

As a school, we aim to ensure that all children leave us prepared for the world as ‘Global Explorers’ equipped to lead successful and happy lives.  Children who are in Reception Year at school are in Badger Class and are taught following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework.   The EYFS curriculum ensures children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.  In EYFS we lay the foundations for our Global Explorers, who must be ‘Resourceful’, ‘Creative’, ‘Skilful’, ‘Worldly’, ‘Aspirational’ and ‘Spiritual’ and these life skills are embedded in all our learning.

Implementation:

The EYFS curriculum covers 3 prime areas:

• communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social & emotional development

and 4 specific areas:

• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design

Children learn through their experience of a wide range of play-based activities, using both the indoor and outdoor learning environments.   The staff in Badger Class support, guide and assess children and modify the provision of activities to meet the children's needs. Our well-resourced EYFS learning environment and extensive enclosed outdoor area allows children to develop their independence and interests on both large and small scales.  All resources are clearly labelled and accessible for children to independently choose their own learning on a daily basis.

Children are introduced to reading through daily teaching of phonics, sharing books and stories in class sessions and twice weekly individual reading using specific reading scheme books, which are taken home daily for children to read at home. Children are also encouraged to learn high frequency words by sight and these words are sent home to practise a set at a time.  

At St Nicholas Primary School we introduce children to key mental arithmetic skills and encourage them to practise these skills at home.

The children in Badger Class have access to wet weather clothing, so our exciting, zoned outdoor area can be used at all times.  We regularly use our wet weather clothing when exploring the wider outdoor environments in our school. We also enjoy the grounds in the warmer weather where we enjoy taking shelter from the sunshine under the willow tree.

Each term, the children enjoy a newly set up role play areas in our outdoor treehouses, which usually link to our topic for the term.  In the past we have enjoyed an ‘Under the Sea’ theme, a ‘Spaceship’, ‘The Three Bears Cottage’, a ‘Farm Shop’, ‘Father Christmas Workshop’ plus many more.  

Impact:

Children have developed the essential skills and knowledge across specific areas of learning to achieve the early learning goals, giving children the necessary foundation for the rest of their school life.  

Mrs Kate Hedges

EYFS Subject Leader

EYFS Curriculum - Development Matters