Early Years Foundation Stage
Nursery and Reception
Children can join Nursery the September after they are three years old and join Reception in the September after their fourth birthday.
Our Beliefs
A child’s first years of school should ignite a passion and curiosity for learning about the world around them and begin a positive journey of personal growth resulting in confidence, independence and a strong understanding of self, self- worth and a sense of belonging.
We pride ourselves on providing a rich, broad and exciting curriculum where children have the opportunity to learn in a safe, happy and stimulating environment both in the classroom and outdoors.
Through play, exploration, creativity and critical thinking children learn and develop new skills and knowledge linked to the seven areas of learning and development outlined below:
Prime Areas:
- Communication and Language(Listening and attention Understanding and Speaking)
- Physical Development(Moving and handling, Health and self-care)
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development(Making relationships, Self-confidence and self-awareness, Managing feelings and behaviour)
Specific Areas:
- Literacy (Reading and writing)
- Mathematics(Numbers, Shape, space and measure)
- Understanding the World(People and communities, The world, Technology)
- Expressive Arts and Creative Designs(Exploring and using media and materials, Being imaginative)
Teaching and learning activities reflect the seven areas of learning and are differentiated to meet the needs and interest of individual children. All the areas of learning are delivered through a balance of adult-led and child-initiated play.
Thematic Approach to Teaching and Learning
All of our learning (apart from phonics) is taught through a theme. Our focus theme changes each half term. Please see the Nursery and Reception curriculum maps which outline the learning the children will be covering in each of the seven areas over the year.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEARNING
During the Early Years the Teachers and Early Years Educators look to develop the children’s learning skills and, at the end of Reception, teachers will provide a summary of each child in relation to the following characteristics of learning:
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PLAYING AND EXPLORING |
ACTIVE LEARNING |
CREATING AND THINKING CRITICALLY |
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Tapestry – Our Online Pupil Learning Journal
Tapestry is a secure website which can be accessed on a computer or laptop, and also on any Apple or Android device such as a tablet or smartphone.
Each child’s learning in Nursery and Reception is recorded in their secure accessonline learning journal.This is an exciting way of keeping track of each child’s development over their time in Early Years. Parents/carers can log on via secure access and view what their child has been up to and instantly add comments to entries. Entries include uploaded photos, videos and written observations. The child’s online book can be shared with members of the family.
Assessment
At the end of the EYFS – in the summer term of the Reception year in school – teachers complete an assessment which is known as the EYFS Profile, using the Early Learning Goals (ELGs). The Early Learning Goals outline the level of learning and development that children are expected to have reached by the end of their Reception year at school. This assessment is carried out by the Reception class teacher and is based on what they, and other staff caring for the children, have observed over the Reception year. The children will be graded as: Emerging
Expected
Exceeding
Learning at Home
Parents are a child’s first educators therefore we strive to work in full partnership with parents.
We value parents’ opinions and aim to assist parents in gaining practical help and guidance, if required, that will equip them to support their children’s learning at home.
This is provided through a range of initiatives such as ‘Stay and Play’ which takes place on a Friday from Autumn 2 through to the summer tem, parent workshops where teaching methods are shared, themed subjects weeks such as science and maths week, bespoke parenting sessions through Early Help Family support.
The activities that you do with your child at home are important in supporting their learning and development and have a long-lasting effect on your child’s learning as they progress through school. For example, talking, playing listening games, reading, singing songs and nursery rhymes, cooking and playing outside, visiting different places with them are invaluable experiences that every child should be exposed to at home.
EYFS – Supporting your child at home
The DfE recognises the crucial role parents play in their children’s early language development. So they have launched Hungry Little Minds – a three-year campaign to help parents and carers to engage in activities that support their child’s early learning.
Follow the link below. There are lots of simple, fun activities for children, from newborn to five.