Aspire Believe Achieve

Intent

At Hemington Primary School, our EYFS curriculum is designed to recognise children’s prior learning from previous settings and experiences at home, provide first hand experiences, whilst allowing the children to build resilience, ambition, and integrity. Every child is recognised as a unique individual and we celebrate and welcome differences within our school community. The ability to learn is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts, and values. We provide enhancement opportunities to engage learning and believe that our first experiences of school should be happy and positive, enabling us to develop a lifelong love of learning. Community involvement is important to us, as we celebrate local traditions, learning new skills to enable the children to take an active role in the local community. Throughout their time in EYFS, the children develop a sense of belonging to our school community. With the children being educated in a mixed age class, the transition to Year 1 is seamless. They have the confidence and skills to make decisions and self-evaluate, make connections, and become lifelong learners.

We intend to work in close partnership with parents and carers to encourage independent, happy learners who thrive in school and reach their full potential from their various starting points. Children’s interests are important to provide opportunities throughout our EYFS curriculum to support learning, consolidate and deepen knowledge and ensure children meet their next steps. Our indoor and outdoor environment will support the independent application of taught skills. Children will be well prepared to achieve a Good Level of Development (GLD) and the Early Learning goals at the end of the Foundation Stage and ensure children make at least good progress from their starting points.

Implementation

Throughout EYFS at Hemington Primary School, we follow the Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This framework specifies the requirement for learning and development in the Early Years and provides prime and specific areas of learning we must cover in our curriculum. We have a curriculum that is child-centred and that is based upon wow experiences and topics which engage the children. We encourage active learning to ensure the children are motivated and interested. We take time to get to know children’s interests and their likes to support learning. All areas of the EYFS curriculum are followed and planned for to ensure there is a broad, balanced, and progressive learning environment and curriculum. The children will learn new skills, acquire new knowledge, and demonstrate understanding through the seven areas of the EYFS curriculum.

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development,
• Communication and Language,
• Literacy,
• Mathematics,
• Understanding the World,
• Expressive Arts and Design

These 7 areas are used to plan children’s learning and activities. Planning for this curriculum is designed to be flexible so that children’s unique interests are supported. During each week, the children will work with an adult to complete 1:1 reading sessions as well as adult led literacy tasks, adult led maths tasks and a range of child initiated tasks through both the indoor and outdoor provision.

A vital aspect in the development of essential knowledge and skills is the use of Continuous Provision. This means that children are using and developing taught skills throughout the year on a daily basis. Continuous Provision practise and principles begin in EYFS and support children to develop key life skills such as independence, innovation, creativity, enquiry, analysis, and problem solving. During the school day, children will have an opportunity to work independently, work collaboratively with their friends and with members of staff. Daily guided activities are also planned to cover different areas of the EYFS curriculum and allow children to develop their next steps in learning. Through observation and discussion, areas of need and next steps are identified for all children to ensure good progress is made. There are also a range of stimulating and engaging activities which the children can access independently and a variety of opportunities for child-initiated play. Staff in the EYFS make observations of the children’s learning to ensure their next steps are met. We regularly assess where the children are, using ‘Development Matters’ and then ensure our planning, adult interaction and learning environment; including Continuous Provision, support children to reach their next steps. Evidence towards meeting milestones are detailed on Tapestry; our online learning journal and in books.

Children in EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. Our outdoor area is used all year round and in all weather conditions. We ensure activities support the Characteristics of Effective Learning. These are:

Playing and Exploring – children investigate and experience things and have a go.

Active Learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy activities.

Creating and Thinking Critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

We are dedicated to health and self – care. Children have access to milk and fruit, daily and learn about the importance of a healthy balanced lifestyle to maintain own wellbeing. All of the children have the opportunity to perform in whole school performances and participate in educational trips. To support our wider curriculum, we provide regular opportunities interactions with parents, such as our Challenge at Home, frequent informal communication, reports, parents evenings, Tapestry and inviting parents to celebrations. In additional to this, we offer a comprehensive transition package which involved nursery visits, stay and play sessions, parent workshop and transition days.

Impact

We strive to ensure that our children’s progress across the EYFS curriculum is good from their varied starting points. We aim for children to achieve a Good Level of Development and many of the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception, and to be as close as possible to National Expectations. Evidence in children’s workbooks and Tapestry journals, support all areas of the EYFS curriculum. The impact of our curriculum is measured by assessment procedures which allow us to measure outcomes against all schools nationally. We measure the percentage of pupils achieving age related expectations and that are on track for GLD throughout the academic year and put supportive and targeted interventions in place if and when needed. Class teachers use observations to make formative assessments which inform future planning and ensure that all children build on their current knowledge and skills at a good pace. Summative assessment compares children’s attainment to age related expectations using month bands in Development Matters. This is regularly tracked to ensure rates of progress are at least good for all children, including vulnerable groups such as those with SEND, disadvantaged or summer born children. Our assessment judgements have been moderated both in school and externally with local schools. We also partake in local authority moderation which has validated our school judgements.