The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is where children begin their journey through school. At Eyke we build on the children’s motivations and interests to support and extend their learning and development. The children have many opportunities to increase and demonstrate their learning and understanding in a wide range of meaningful contexts. The adults in the classroom are responsive to the children’s play, interactions and thinking and as a result they facilitate learning by listening, guiding, explaining, questioning and helping the children to reflect on their learning.

In Ash Class, your children will learn new skills, new knowledge and demonstrate their understanding through 7 Areas of Learning and Development. These are set out in the EYFS Framework. There are 3 Prime Areas in our curriculum – Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; and Physical Development. These areas are paramount to your children’s successes, their healthy development and their future learning. There are also 4 Specific Areas of our curriculum – Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding of the World and Expressive Arts and Design.

The 7 Areas of Learning and Development:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

PSED is critical for young children in all aspects of their lives and gives them the best opportunity for success in the other areas of learning. We provide experiences where the children can build warm and supportive relationships with their peers and adults, learn about rules and behaviour, gain an awareness of their own feelings as well as others, develop their self regulation, learn how to care for themselves (both physically and mentally) and begin to learn about their own and other cultures. PSED allows children to develop as individuals and to help them to embrace differences in gender, ethnicity, religion, special educational needs and disabilities.

Communication and Language

Being able to communicate effectively is a key life skill; this area underpins all areas of learning and development. We provide a language rich environment where high quality conversation with adults and peers is paramount, as well as reading frequently to children and engaging them in stories, non-fiction, poems and role play. The children have plentiful opportunities to learn new and embed vocabulary in a range of contexts. These opportunities enable children to develop their listening and attention, ability to speak clearly and with confidence.

Physical Development

Physical development in Reception is about improving skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. It helps children to gain confidence in their ability, enabling them to feel the positive benefits of being healthy and active. They learn to move with confidence in a variety of ways, with imagination and in safety. Children are taught to consider the space around them and to consider the space of others. They consider the importance of keeping healthy and identify the things, which contribute to this. Children learn to recognise the changes that happen to their bodies when they are active. Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination form an equally important part of physical development. Children learn to use a range of small and large equipment safely and with increasing control. This includes being able to hold a pencil effectively, draw and form letters correctly.

Literacy

Literacy focuses on three areas: language comprehension, word reading and writing. We are passionate about children developing a life-long love of reading. This comes from discussing the world and spending time talking about books and enjoying rhymes, poetry and songs. Daily phonics sessions are vital and enable children to blend and recognise words.

These skills are then built upon throughout the indoor and outdoor provision. At Eyke we use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds scheme.

Writing involves spelling, handwriting and composition (articulating ideas).We provide lots of opportunity for children to mark make in a wide variety of ways including using chalks, water and brushes, gel and foam trays, wet and dry sand and also using different sized pencils and pens. The children do daily letter formation practise as well as activities that strengthen their hand muscles. Writing opportunities are promoted and encouraged throughout the provision and as their phonics knowledge increases, their accuracy in writing develops.

Mathematics

In this area of learning the children will develop a deep understanding of numbers to 10 and the relationship between them using the White Rose Education approach. Children will recognise the pattern of the counting system and be able to count beyond 20. They will learn number bonds, compare quantities, subitise and explore many patterns such as odd and even numbers. It is key to provide a wide range of contexts to build and apply this understanding. We use a variety of manipulatives from a range of real life objects to mathematical equipment. The children have opportunity to develop their spatial reasoning skills including shape, space and measure. We promote a positive can-do attitude where children are not afraid of mistakes.  Children develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built.

Understanding of the world

In this area of learning, children are developing the crucial knowledge, skills and understanding to make sense of the world in which they live. The children learn the important processes and changes in the natural world around them. They explore and investigate objects and materials; observing carefully and asking questions about why things happen and how they work. Children find out about the uses of everyday technology and how it can be used to support their learning. Learning opportunities also help them to become aware of and explore their own customs and routines as well as those of others locally and in different countries. We support the children to develop an understanding of past and present; learning about the lives of different people and drawing on their own experiences. We use a wide range of stories, non-fiction and real life practical experiences to facilitate this.

Expressive Arts and Design

This area of learning includes art, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play. Being creative enables children to make connections between one area of learning and another and so extend their understanding. Children explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques whilst experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. They recognise and explore how sounds can be changed, sing and perform songs, recognise repeated sounds, perform sound patterns and match movements to music. Children learn to use their imagination, express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings in a range of ways in all elements of this area of learning. Through building and constructing with a wide range of objects and materials, children begin to develop key design and making skills.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

The Early Years Curriculum gives great importance to how children learn not just in the 7 Areas of Learning and Development, but also in how they develop as learners and are building the strong foundations for life-long learning. These are described in the Characteristics of Effective Learning and these are an integral part of our curriculum.

The 3 Characteristics of Effective Learning:

– Playing and Exploring

Children investigate and experience things and ‘have a go’.

– Active learning

Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties. They enjoy their achievements.

– Creating and Thinking Critically

Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things.