Early Years Curriculum- Highfields Primary School

As a whole school, we want to prepare children for a happy life. We not only want them to learn how to make a living but be confident in the world and know how to live a fulfilling life.

At Highfields Primary school, our EYFS curriculum is in line with the Statutory framework for Early Years Foundation Stage designed to provide many learning opportunities. Through both child-initiated and adult led sessions, we recognise children’s prior learning both from their previous settings and their experiences at home. We work closely in partnership with the parents, carers and other settings to give children a possible best start to their school journey from different starting points.

We strive for our children develop their thinking, understanding, self-confidence, resilience and empathy through different learning opportunities provided in our enabling environment, both indoors and outdoors, and interaction between our skilful adults and the children.

We provide opportunities for children to explore and engage in their learning throughout the day, learn new skills or consolidate their prior learning. This is possible by providing an engaging curriculum that maximises opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links and learning experiences as well as promoting their unique characteristics of learning throughout the day.

Each half term, we introduce a new theme/context to children whilst giving them flexibility to follow their interests and ideas. Children learn through a balanced child initiated and adult led activities throughout the day.

The timetables are structured in such a way to have a balance between directed teaching and child-initiated learning. There are changes to the timetable throughout the year taking in consideration of children’s needs and next steps.

The direct teaching is carefully planned to teach specific skill or consolidate previous skill ensuring children also learn the new skills and they are given plenty opportunities to apply them in the continuous provision. Teachers plan different lessons to cater for specific subjects. Early reading, through daily phonics lessons, one to one child reading, shared/guided reading and writing.

Early mathematics is planned daily. One maths task in the maths journal and more mathematical opportunities in the continuous provision. Teachers plan in other sessions like music, PSHE, PE and context lessons which are either once or twice a week depending on events or festivals in the school calendar.

Most of the context (theme for the term) is through well planned and well-equipped continuous indoors and outdoors provision. Children are given lots of opportunities to explore their creative and communication skills in the continuous provision; creative stations, playdough station, small world area, role play and block play area. Skilled adults enhance or scaffold their play by interacting with them.

Children spend a lot of time exploring and enhancing their learning in the well-equipped and highly interactive environment both indoors and outdoors. The continuous both indoors and outdoors provision is planned carefully to provide valuable opportunities and resources following children’s interest and ideas hence fostering a lifelong love for learning both in and out of school.

Children are also given other opportunities to explore other areas of learning through well planned school trips- Pirate Day at Beumanor hall, Spinney hill park, local walk around the school and Stonehurst farm and also inviting visitors in school- looking at and talking about different animals and music and movement sessions to the children new experiences.

Parents are invited in school throughout the year at different points to take part in their children’s learning and share valuable experiences with them. There are context days- planting seeds together, sports day, picnic at the park and Bugs’ Ball where parents are given opportunities to work with their children. Morning sessions happen twice a week were parents come in school to share a book with their child and take part in mark making or have fun with fine motor skills activities.

Websites for Foundation Stage Children and Parents

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/freeIndex.htm A phonics site that is split into the Phases from 'Letters and Sounds'

http://www.starfall.com/ Letter games and online stories

http://www.ichild.co.uk/3-5_years Printable activities and resources for young children.

http://www.dltk-kids.com/A variety of fun printable children's crafts, colouring pages and projects including some of our favourite cartoon characters.

http://boowakwala.uptoten.com/kids/boowakwala-home.html Educational activities and games for pre-school aged children.

http://www.bigeyedowl.co.uk/ Ideas and resources for parents or carers of children aged 5-7.

https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/ Colouring pages, crafts, puzzles, educational printables, jigsaws, Sudoku for kids and much more.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies A wealth of activities, games, online songs, stories, shows, worksheets and puzzles.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/3-5-years Maths and English games