Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The EYFS Curriculum is provided to our children in the Reception class. The curriculum is organised into seven areas of learning:

Prime Areas of Learning:
° Communication and Language
° Physical Development
° Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Specific Areas of Learning:
° Literacy
° Mathematics
° Understanding the World
° Expressive Arts & Design

 

Reception Long Term Plan

When can my child attend the Reception Class?

Children who have their fifth birthday between September the 1st and August the 31st are admitted full time in our Reception class in September.

Parents MUST apply to North Yorkshire Local Authority for a place in the Reception class.

EYFS Curriculum statement

At Hipswell Church of England Primary school, we have built our EYFS curriculum around the core curriculum values of the school whereby we want children to have good social and emotional wellbeing, be enthusiastic learners, have a language rich environment, develop creativity and have respect for the world. This is in addition to supporting children in living the Christian values; the golden rule (we are kind, helpful and polite), perseverance, respect, love, generosity, truth and forgiveness.

Context

Children join Hipswell C of E Primary school from a range of backgrounds with various experiences of family life. Many of our children come from forces families. As a result of high levels of mobility, we understand that some of our families have limited support networks readily available to them and so the importance of engaging with our families, not just the children, is paramount to ensuring that all children feel happy, supported and safe.

In Early Years at Hipswell C of E Primary, we want to help children become resilient, kind, curious, good communicators who are independent in their learning.

Intent

At Hipswell C of E Primary school, we want children to:

  • Be enthusiastic learners: through following their own interests, children will ask questions and develop a lifelong curiosity. We encourage children to understand that they learn from making mistakes, to explore new ways of doing things, to talk about what has worked and what hasn’t and plan what to do next.
  • Have good social and emotional wellbeing through staff getting to know the children in Reception well and supporting them in developing friendships with others. We support children in provision to resolve conflicts through communication and understanding. Through adults modelling positive relationships, children learn to show empathy and love to those around them and respect the beliefs and ideas of others.
  • Make choices about what they would like to know, which resources they will choose and which stories to tell, children will learn to be creative. Children are supported to access a range of different tools, materials and media to express themselves in their own way, celebrating each child’s uniqueness.
  • Become good communicators through our language rich enabling Children are exposed to a variety of high-quality texts which introduce new vocabulary which they put into action when explaining, questioning and clarifying meaning. Learning new vocabulary provides the tools children need to develop effective team work.
  • Respect the world through learning about the world around us and the effect our actions can have on the environment on a local and global scale. Children develop a respect for the world around them through exploration and curiosity – asking questions and finding out more.

In addition to the Christian values we hold for the children at Hipswell C of E Primary school, the characteristics of effective learning run through everything we do in the Early Years.

The curriculum is specifically designed to meet the needs of the pupils who attend Hipswell C of E Primary School.  When designing the curriculum, we consider previous experiences, current interests and skills which will play a vital role in children’s lives as they grow.

We recognise the importance of play for the development of children, therefore we ensure that children are provided with time to learn through play – to explore, question, be curious, develop perseverance and to problem solve. Children are challenged and make progress through high quality adult interactions. Children enjoy purposeful interactions with adults who respond to their individual interests and needs and build upon prior learning.

We create a safe, welcoming environment where children are encouraged to talk and adults show that we listen and respond.

We provide a broad and balanced curriculum with ‘highlights’ throughout the year which develop children’s cultural capital, understanding of the world and respect for others.

We work closely with parents and have a number of ‘Learning Together’ sessions for parents to learn about the different aspects of the curriculum. We share ‘Wow’ moments on Seesaw and keep parents up to date with our learning through half termly newsletters. Parents are also encouraged to share moments from home with us to inform future planning and to strengthen our knowledge of all children.

Implementation

Children develop their own ideas in a safe, stimulating and motivating environment. They are encouraged to develop independence in their learning. Adults will adapt their teaching to ensure that they are providing what individual children need to flourish. This can be achieved through effective questioning, modelling, explanations, demonstrating, challenging or scaffolding. The knowledge we have of the children in our setting means that we can target children appropriately.

Children are exposed to high quality, language rich texts in Reception which develops their vocabulary and understanding of words. It also develops a love of books and reading. Books are carefully chosen throughout the year to develop children’s language skills, comprehension and oracy.

Early Years staff work closely with children in the classroom and outdoor area to support the development of good communication skills. Children who can communicate effectively, will be able to transfer these skills across many different aspects of life.

We follow the NCETM Maths Mastery programme in Reception to ensure a thorough understanding of number. This is supplemented with White Rose activities which provides a well-rounded maths curriculum where each strand of maths is covered.  In both cases, the programmes are adapted to meet the needs of the children who attend Hipswell C E Primary School.

Enhancements to the curriculum, such as visitors, local visits and trips further afield to deepen knowledge ensure children are given equal opportunities to further develop their cultural capital.

Impact

Children are curious, inquisitive and interested about the world around them. They know how to ask appropriate questions to find out more and can solve some problems themselves through trial and error, learning from mistakes and planning what to do next.

Children are confident to ‘have a go’ at new activities. They will try new things as they understand that a trusted adult will always be there to support them.

Children become independent in their learning. They can make a choice about what they want to learn, how they will achieve something and what resources they will use. They are not afraid to take a risk and will give techniques a try, even when they can’t see what the outcome will be. Children have learnt to be adaptive, to challenge themselves, to persevere and to not give up when something doesn’t go to plan.

Robust assessment means that staff can plan effectively for next steps in learning, ensuring that all children are given the opportunity to ‘fill any gaps’ such as in phonics or maths quickly so that they do not fall behind their peers.

Children are ready for the next stage in their education. Through an effective delivery of all aspects of the curriculum across EYFS, children are ready to move into Year 1 and continue their educational journey with strong foundations across all subjects in the National Curriculum.

    Parent Partnership

    At Hipswell CE Primary school, we view parental partnership as a two-way exchange of knowledge, information and expertise. The connection between home and school is incredibly important and is something that we take seriously. Many opportunities for a strong partnership are provided in Reception and are continued throughout school. Some of these opportunities are as follows;

        • ‘Learning together’ sessions based on an area of the Foundation Stage Profile.
        • Reading meetings to discuss the importance of reading and how you can help your child at home.
        • Encouraging parents to listen to their child read at home every night.
        • Encouraging parents to read to their child at home – the benefits of this can never be celebrated enough!
        • Termly parent consultation meetings.
        • A report on progress your child has made over the year in the summer term.
        • Sharing learning and ‘wow’ moments with parents on Seesaw.
        • Encouraging parents to share ‘wow’ moments from home with us in school.
        • Half termly newsletters and updates on Seesaw.
        • And above all else, having an open-door policy. Parents are warmly encouraged to talk to a member of staff if they have any concerns, worries or things to celebrate in school.
    End of Year Goals for Reception
    Communication and Language

    ·         Engage in a back-and-forth exchange with another person, sticking to a main line of thinking.  

    ·         Ask appropriate questions to find out more or clarify something.  

    ·         Use a range of ambitious vocabulary.  

    ·         Listen to others and take their ideas on board.  
    Personal, Social and Emotional Development

    ·         Know and talk about ways to keep ourselves healthy and safe.  

    ·         Be able to form positive relationships with others – adults and children.  

    ·         Have the confidence to try new activities.  

    ·         Develop resilience for when things are difficult and be able to persevere to meet a goal.  
    Physical development

    ·         Hold a pencil comfortably and use it effectively to draw and write.  

    ·         Use cutlery with increasing control and independence.  

    ·         Manage risks and know when to ask for help. 
    Literacy

    ·         Have a love or books, reading and/or stories.  

    ·         Know that writing can be for different purposes.  

    ·         Be able to read own writing because letters are mostly formed correctly.  
    Maths

    ·         To have an in depth understanding of numbers to 10, including number bonds.  

    ·         Use language relating to shape, pattern and measures correctly.  

    ·         Be able to talk about what they have noticed and explain their understanding.  
    Understanding the world

    ·         Understand and name their immediate family.

    ·         Appreciate that people have different beliefs and talk about similarities and what makes us unique.

    ·         Show care for the environment and living things.

    ·         Understand what maps are used for.
    Expressive art and design

    ·         Appreciate and talk about music they like.

    ·         Create a picture or model considering how they can improve it.

    ·         Develop a storyline to play alongside others.