EYFS
At Starks Field primary school we understand the importance of learning through play. In Nursery and Reception your child will follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum. This sets the standards for the learning, development and care of your child. The areas of learning have been organised into three prime areas of learning and four specific areas of learning. These are as follows:
PRIME AREAS OF LEARNING:
Communication and Language
Giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment, to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
Physical Development
Providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive and to develop their co-ordination, control and movement. Children learn and understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
Personal and Social Development
Helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others. To form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings. Children learn to understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.
SPECIFIC AREAS OF LEARNING:
Literacy
Encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children are given access to a wide range of reading materials such as familiar signs and logos and books and poems based on their interests.
Mathematics
Providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, space, and measure.
Understanding of the World
Involves children learning about the world around them, including their local community through exploring, observing, visiting and finding out about people, places and technology.
Expressive Arts and Design
Enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design and technology.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING:
We provide many opportunities for children to learn in the Early Years setting through teachers planning and children’s activities. We always take into account the children’s interests and the ways that children learn and reflect these in their practice.
The three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are:
- Playing and exploring – children have the opportunity to investigate and experience a range of activities and are encouraged to ‘have a go’
- Active learning – children concentrate and develop resilience when they encounter difficulties, and enjoy their achievements
- Creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for completing task
PLAY:
Your child’s learning will take place both indoors and outdoors through a variety of child-initiated and adult-led activities. As the year progresses in Reception the learning will become more formal with more directed teaching. The children will take part in literacy and numeracy carpet sessions, direct phonics teaching (Read Write Inc - RWI) and daily supported reading sessions. Play still remains an important part of your child’s development and they will be provided with the opportunity to continue and extend their learning through play alongside more formal teaching.
SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD AT HOME:
In Nursery and Reception children are sent home a reading book, a sound book and a piece of literacy or numeracy work linked to their learning throughout the week. The children will also bring home a library book for you to share with at home.
All children in our Early Years have a personal on-line Learning Journey which records photos, observations and comments, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage. This builds up a record of each child’s experiences during their time with us.
We use Tapestry, a system which is hosted in the UK on secure servers. All parents/carers are given access (via email address and password) to your child’s Learning Journey. Parents are encouraged to add to their child’s Journal by uploading photos and comments or commenting on the observations made by us.
Please visit the following links for help on setting up your Tapestry Account and adding information:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ROkDnb4I0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=espJ96TJHV8
