EYFS

Our curriculum is the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework (updated September 2021).

This curriculum document is statutory, as is assessing against the EYFS Profile , and reporting on The Characteristics of Effective Learning at the end of Reception.

We want the children to leave EYFS with a Good Level of Development across all areas of learning.  We choose to do this by delivering discreet Maths,  topic based English, and Phonics lessons, and by Planning In The Moment with individuals and groups during ‘choosing’ or Continuous Provision Time. We underpin all of our discreet teaching with a strong focus on the 3 Prime Areas of Communication and Language, Physical Development, and Personal and Social Development.

Why we do Planning In the Moment

We recognise that deep levels of involvement indicate increased brain activity and progress.

This is most often seen during child-initiated play. But in true child-initiated play, we do not know what the child is going to do, so we cannot plan ahead.

We need to remain ‘in the moment’ with the child – ready to respond.

What we do

We have focus children NOT focus activities within the provision. The adult goes to the child.  The child is NOT called to come to the adult. We work this way because high-level involvement occurs in child-initiated activity.

The adults are there to facilitate learning.  They do this through observations and interactions.

Our adults know the children very well and have a sound understanding of child development.  This ensures that the adults enhance and extend the learning at the appropriate level.

The Ofsted definition of teaching (2015) fits exactly with our way of planning and teaching – in the moment.

It includes…

• Interactions with children during planned and child-initiated play and activities
• Communicating and modelling language, showing, explaining, demonstrating,
  exploring ideas, encouraging, questioning, recalling
•  Providing a narrative for what they are doing, facilitating and setting challenges
•  Takes account of the equipment adults provide and the attention given to the physical
  environment the structure and routines of the day that establish expectations
•  Integral to teaching is how practitioners assess what children know, understand and
  can do taking account of their interests and dispositions to learn (characteristics of
  effective learning)
  • How practitioners use this information to plan children’s next steps in learning and
  monitor their progress.”

An Enabling Environment

We have a workshop style environment indoors and outside. Generally, nothing is set out on the tables. The children select what they want to do in each area. We will add temporary resources and artefacts which meet children’s currents needs and fascinations.

The principal is that the resources are accessible to the children and they are varied, open-ended and high quality. Our resources have been selected so that they can provide endless possibilities.

 

EYFS Behaviour Policy

Please read our behaviour policy in the ‘Policy’ section of our website.