Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) -Reception Year 

EYFS Curriculum – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the education period from birth to 5 years. In our school, we have a Reception Unit. As of September 2021, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School has embraced the EYFS 2021 Curriculum and Development Matters. Early Learning Goals within the Development Matters sets the expectations of what children should be able to do at the end of Early Years Foundation Stage. However, we aspire for our children to be able to do more, experience more and contribute more. 

Our EYFS Intent  

We want our children to develop a sense of pride in themselves and respect for others in their immediate, school and the community.  We want to work together with families and involve them in their child’s learning journey. 

At St Mary’s we provide a well-planned and engaging curriculum which enables children to develop their curiosity and problem-solving. We understand and follow children’s interests and for these to be nurtured to ignite their enthusiasm for learning.  Through developing learning behaviours such as playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically, we want children to be independent in their learning.  We want them to plan, implement, consolidate and deepen their knowledge.

 We aim to create an engaging and stimulating environment, both inside and outdoors, which supports and challenges learning. It aims to stimulate the children physically and mentally, developing the health and wellbeing of our children. Given the encouragement to manage risk and develop resilience.

 We want our children to develop their ability to think, feel, see understand, do and to represent and express themselves.  We want them to imagine, puzzle, wonder, explore, befriend and share.  To enable this, we will provide opportunities through curriculum enrichment to provide outdoor hands-on learning both within our immediate school environment as well as the wider community.

This will prepare children to reach the Early Learning Goals at the Foundation Stage's end and ensure they make at least good progress from their starting points.

Implementation

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum 2020 includes the statutory areas of learning as well as the educational programmes.

The curriculum and early years practice have been shaped with respect to the four overarching principles:

• every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured
• children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships
• children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers

Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.

We have a curriculum based upon our Enquiry 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; ensuring 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 in the EYFS curriculum:

These 7 areas are used to plan children’s learning and activities. Planning for this curriculum is designed to be flexible so that a child’s unique needs and interests are supported.

The teaching of these areas of learning is practical and playful, with support and challenge from adults in-class sessions, small group sessions and when working with individuals. There is a combination of adult-led, teacher taught sessions and a wealth of stimulating continuous provision opportunities. Daily guided activities are set up and planned that cover different areas of the EYFS curriculum and allow children to develop their next steps in learning. Areas of need and next steps are identified for all children to ensure good progress is made. In planning and guiding children’s activities, we acknowledge the different ways children learn and reflect these in our practice.

 The curriculum provides a play-based and experiential learning environment, combined with focussed teaching and basic skills, to ensure children make rapid progress before moving onto Year 1. The children are provided with ample opportunities accessible in our indoor and outdoor provision. They engage in planned, focussed activities as well as self-initiated and free flow activities. The learning experiences within our Early Years are linked to the seven areas of learning and development within the EYFS. These areas are split into three prime areas and four specific areas. The three prime areas are those which the children should develop first and are considered most essential for the healthy development and future learning of our children. These include:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development – involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.

Communication and Language – involves 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 – involves 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; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.

As children grow and make progress in the prime areas, this will help them to naturally develop skills within the four specific areas. These are:

Literacy – the early teaching of literacy involves 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 (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.

Mathematics – the early teaching of mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and describing shapes, spaces, and measures.

Understanding the World – this involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive Arts and Design – this involves 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.

We ensure activities support the Characteristics of Effective Learning to ensure learning takes place. 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 achievements;
• Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. The outdoor environment and local community are considered an opportuning for learning for all children.  The immediate school grounds have been developed so that they can enrich different curriculum areas in ways not afforded indoors.  Outdoor learning is actively promoted and planned for. Our outdoor areas are used all year round and in most weather conditions.

Staff in the EYFS make regular  informal observations of the children’s learning, and collaborate together to ensure their next steps are met. The staff use a variety of methods to stimulate professional discussion about the children's learning journey. We regularly assess where the children are using the Development Matters and then ensure our planning, adult interaction and learning environment support children to reach their next steps.

We keep parents informed and we meet regularly with parents and carers to ensure children’s transition into school and through the EYFS is happy and allows them to reach their potential with the support needed. This includes learning together sessions, workshops, Class Dojo and parent consultations.

Staff support transition into Key Stage 1. Preparing children for Year 1 with visits to their new class, meeting the teacher and ensuring the environments are similar at the end of Reception and the start of Year 1.

Impact

We anticipate that our curriculum will ensure that children are equipped with skill sets and prepared for the future.  During their time in EYFS they become fantastic role models and the very best of themselves.  Their individuality is valued and the unique child has every opportunity to achieve and excel, based upon their own personal strengths, interest and core values whilst learning in EYFS, and in the future.

Our Children will;

• Be confident speakers who have strong communication skills.  They will be able to talk fluently as well as listen respectively to the views of others.
• Take pride in all that they do themselves, others and their community.  They will always strive for the very best.
• Demonstrate self-regulation, emotional resilience and the ability to persevere when they encounter challenge whilst managing risks.
• Develop a sense of self-awareness and become confident in their own abilities.
• Be kind, respectful and honest, demonstrating inclusive attitudes and have a sense of their role in wider society.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) -Reception Year 

EYFS Curriculum – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the education period from birth to 5 years. In our school, we have a Reception Unit. As of September 2021, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School has embraced the EYFS 2021 Curriculum and Development Matters. Early Learning Goals within the Development Matters sets the expectations of what children should be able to do at the end of Early Years Foundation Stage. However, we aspire for our children to be able to do more, experience more and contribute more. 

Our EYFS Intent  

We want our children to develop a sense of pride in themselves and respect for others in their immediate, school and the community.  We want to work together with families and involve them in their child’s learning journey. 

At St Mary’s we provide a well-planned and engaging curriculum which enables children to develop their curiosity and problem-solving. We understand and follow children’s interests and for these to be nurtured to ignite their enthusiasm for learning.  Through developing learning behaviours such as playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically, we want children to be independent in their learning.  We want them to plan, implement, consolidate and deepen their knowledge.

 We aim to create an engaging and stimulating environment, both inside and outdoors, which supports and challenges learning. It aims to stimulate the children physically and mentally, developing the health and wellbeing of our children. Given the encouragement to manage risk and develop resilience.

 We want our children to develop their ability to think, feel, see understand, do and to represent and express themselves.  We want them to imagine, puzzle, wonder, explore, befriend and share.  To enable this, we will provide opportunities through curriculum enrichment to provide outdoor hands-on learning both within our immediate school environment as well as the wider community.

This will prepare children to reach the Early Learning Goals at the Foundation Stage's end and ensure they make at least good progress from their starting points.

Implementation

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum 2020 includes the statutory areas of learning as well as the educational programmes.

The curriculum and early years practice have been shaped with respect to the four overarching principles:

• every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured
• children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships
• children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers

Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.

We have a curriculum based upon our Enquiry 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; ensuring 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 in the EYFS curriculum:

These 7 areas are used to plan children’s learning and activities. Planning for this curriculum is designed to be flexible so that a child’s unique needs and interests are supported.

The teaching of these areas of learning is practical and playful, with support and challenge from adults in-class sessions, small group sessions and when working with individuals. There is a combination of adult-led, teacher taught sessions and a wealth of stimulating continuous provision opportunities. Daily guided activities are set up and planned that cover different areas of the EYFS curriculum and allow children to develop their next steps in learning. Areas of need and next steps are identified for all children to ensure good progress is made. In planning and guiding children’s activities, we acknowledge the different ways children learn and reflect these in our practice.

 The curriculum provides a play-based and experiential learning environment, combined with focussed teaching and basic skills, to ensure children make rapid progress before moving onto Year 1. The children are provided with ample opportunities accessible in our indoor and outdoor provision. They engage in planned, focussed activities as well as self-initiated and free flow activities. The learning experiences within our Early Years are linked to the seven areas of learning and development within the EYFS. These areas are split into three prime areas and four specific areas. The three prime areas are those which the children should develop first and are considered most essential for the healthy development and future learning of our children. These include:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development – involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.

Communication and Language – involves 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 – involves 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; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.

As children grow and make progress in the prime areas, this will help them to naturally develop skills within the four specific areas. These are:

Literacy – the early teaching of literacy involves 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 (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.

Mathematics – the early teaching of mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and describing shapes, spaces, and measures.

Understanding the World – this involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive Arts and Design – this involves 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.

We ensure activities support the Characteristics of Effective Learning to ensure learning takes place. 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 achievements;
• Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. The outdoor environment and local community are considered an opportuning for learning for all children.  The immediate school grounds have been developed so that they can enrich different curriculum areas in ways not afforded indoors.  Outdoor learning is actively promoted and planned for. Our outdoor areas are used all year round and in most weather conditions.

Staff in the EYFS make regular  informal observations of the children’s learning, and collaborate together to ensure their next steps are met. The staff use a variety of methods to stimulate professional discussion about the children's learning journey. We regularly assess where the children are using the Development Matters and then ensure our planning, adult interaction and learning environment support children to reach their next steps.

We keep parents informed and we meet regularly with parents and carers to ensure children’s transition into school and through the EYFS is happy and allows them to reach their potential with the support needed. This includes learning together sessions, workshops, Class Dojo and parent consultations.

Staff support transition into Key Stage 1. Preparing children for Year 1 with visits to their new class, meeting the teacher and ensuring the environments are similar at the end of Reception and the start of Year 1.

Impact

We anticipate that our curriculum will ensure that children are equipped with skill sets and prepared for the future.  During their time in EYFS they become fantastic role models and the very best of themselves.  Their individuality is valued and the unique child has every opportunity to achieve and excel, based upon their own personal strengths, interest and core values whilst learning in EYFS, and in the future.

Our Children will;

• Be confident speakers who have strong communication skills.  They will be able to talk fluently as well as listen respectively to the views of others.
• Take pride in all that they do themselves, others and their community.  They will always strive for the very best.
• Demonstrate self-regulation, emotional resilience and the ability to persevere when they encounter challenge whilst managing risks.
• Develop a sense of self-awareness and become confident in their own abilities.
• Be kind, respectful and honest, demonstrating inclusive attitudes and have a sense of their role in wider society.