EYFS Curriculum
Learning Through Play
In the Early Years, learning takes place through carefully planned, play-based learning opportunities, both inside the classroom and also in our specially designated outdoor area. The EYFS curriculum has been designed with seven areas of learning and development in mind. These seven areas of learning are grouped into two strands, ‘prime’ and ‘specific’.
The Three Prime Areas of Learning and Development:
These lay down the foundation for all children’s learning, ensuring that children are able to relate to others, communicate effectively, and engage with their environment. The prime areas are dependent on each other and are universal in that they occur within all cultures and social backgrounds.
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Physical development
- Communication and language
The Four Specific Areas of Learning and Development:
These can be introduced flexibly but cannot be developed alone; they build on the development gained through the prime areas. The specific areas reflect individual children’s life experiences, including their cultural and social background. Practitioners will be able to plan for children’s next steps in the specific areas through their observations and knowledge of children’s likes, dislikes, and through regular feedback and communication from families.
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
Alongside these seven areas of learning and development, the EYFS curriculum focuses on the way children learn. This is called The Characteristics of Effective Learning. Roughly speaking, they tell us that children are learning when they are:
- Playing and Exploring: How engaged they are in an activity.
- Active Learning: How motivated they are.
- Creating and Thinking Critically: How they develop their thinking.
The essence of this curriculum will still be fundamental to your child’s learning, but the way in which staff prioritise each area will also reflect the way in which some children may have been impacted by the lockdown period and the rules of social distancing. There will be an even greater emphasis on the prime areas of learning, particularly personal, social and emotional development and wellbeing.
Play will still be a critical tool at this time to allow children to act out and make sense of what they have experienced over the last few months and how they have seen people’s behaviour change.
EY staff will be warm, responsive, and sensitive to what they observe in play and respond with appropriate talk and questioning. Even if there are distancing and resource limitation rules in place in September, settings will be able to provide calm, safe spaces for talk and reflection.
Of course, school is a different environment to the home. EY staff will skillfully help children readjust by gradually introducing routine and structure to the day as the term progresses.
If you have any questions, please contact us using the provided on the site.
Prospectus
Induction Information
School Handbook
Intent
At Rodbourne Cheney Primary School, we intend to:
- Make every child’s first experience of school happy, safe, positive and fun with the welfare of the child central to our provision of care.
- Value the individuality of the children and ensure all learning opportunities allow access and opportunities to stretch and challenge.
- Enhance the natural curiosity every child starts their school journey with by providing a curriculum based on active learning in a stimulating environment that develops interest, excitement and motivation to learn.
- Foster and nurture children’s self-confidence so they recognise and fulfil their individual potential and special talents.
- Provide opportunities for children to take ownership of their learning and behaviour by making choices which will foster confident, independent and innovative learners and thinkers.
- Support children to develop care, respect and appreciation for the environment in which they live and for others.
- Promote collaborative learning by encouraging children to develop positive relationships with their peers and other members of the school community.
Implementation
At Rodbourne Cheney, our intent is implemented in accordance with the government’s document, ‘The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS).
Prime Areas
These lay the foundations for children’s success in all other areas of learning and of life:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development (including making relationships, self-confidence & self-awareness and managing feelings & behaviour): This area focuses on children learning to work, play, build relationships, co-operate with others and function as a group beyond the family. Aspects of PSED are constantly promoted right across the curriculum as well as in specific activities, such as circle time and through our well-being curriculum.
- Physical Development (including moving & handling and health & self-care): Children develop physical control, mobility, awareness of space and fine and gross motor skills both inside and outside. Dance, gymnastics and small game apparatus are all used in the curriculum. Fine motor skills are developed to enhance the progression of writing including tracing, colouring, painting, cutting, threading, dough, clay and many other aspects of manipulative play.
- Communication and Language (including listening & attention, understanding and speaking): All children are encouraged to participate as speakers and listeners in a variety of situations and for a range of purposes and audiences, using and extending language in an imaginative way. They are taught to express their thoughts and feelings.
Specific Areas
These provide the range of experiences and opportunities for children to broaden their knowledge and skills:
- Literacy (including reading and writing): Reading and writing opportunities take place in a variety of ways, some teacher led and some child initiated. The children begin by singing, reciting nursery rhymes, rhyming games and identifying sounds through listening games. Children need secure skills in listening and hearing rhyming patterns if they are to make good progress in phonics and reading. After a brief settling in period, the children will begin learning the letter sounds and tricky words through the structured daily phonics program called ‘Letters and Sounds.’ Writing, in the form of mark-making, is encouraged from the time the children start as a way of expressing themselves and recording meaning. The development of pre-writing skills and co-ordination are supported through fun, independent and regular adult led activities whilst children can practise their developing skills during meaningful play opportunities within in the learning environment. When ready, we teach the children to form letters using the cursive style.
- Mathematics (including number and shape, measure & space): This involves developing aspects of mathematical understanding through stories, songs, games, imaginative play and may other practical activities. Children learn about counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns, making connections, recognising relationships and working with numbers, shape, space and measures. Problem solving skills are developed by real life situations, both spontaneous and planned.
- Understanding the World (including people & communities, the world and technology): From this area, children develop knowledge and understanding of their immediate and local environment and compare it to other environments around the world. They reflect on the people who are important in their lives both past and present. Children are involved in practical experiences which use investigative skills, such as observing, predicting, recording and communicating findings. Some of these experiences are child led and some begin with adult support before moving to independent enquiry.
- Expressive Arts and Design (including exploring & using media and materials and imagination): This area of learning and experience develops children’s imagination and ability to communicate and express ideas and feelings in creative ways both indoors and outdoors, through art, music, drama, dance and role play. Expressive arts and design activities involve designing and making by choosing and using appropriate materials and equipment to cut, join, fold and build.
Curriculum and Environment
We aim to deliver an exciting, engaging curriculum that provides individual and appropriate challenge. This is through playful activities and rich learning opportunities which are relevant to all children. Children will be supported to take risks in an environment which offers stimulating resources and encourages exploration.
Learning Characteristics
We consider it is of vital importance that children learn and develop positive characteristics as individuals alongside academic knowledge and skills. These are qualities that will ensure they continue to learn and thrive throughout their school life and beyond.
We encourage the Characteristics of Effective Learning, as outlined in the Development Matters Document (2012):
- Playing and exploring- (their engagement) – provided through a balance of adult led and child initiated planned, purposeful learning experiences.
- Active learning- (their motivation) developed through providing opportunities where the children have some independence and control over their learning and activities, making decisions and taking ownership over their learning
- Creating and thinking critically (their thinking) – encouraging children to develop their own ideas, make links and decide ways of doing things. Adults support this and offer encouragement through clarification and open ended questions.