Our curriculum follows the EYFS statutory Framework coupled with the Birth to Five Matters guidance. It is designed to recognise children’s prior learning, both from previous settings and their experiences at home. We work in partnership with parents, carers and other settings to provide the best possible start at Austwick CE Primary, ensuring each child reaches their full potential from their various starting points. Our curriculum has been designed to enable children to succeed through cooperative and collaborative learning principles. As such, there is a strong emphasis on the interlinked Prime Areas of learning; Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Communication and Language, including Oracy. We believe that the three Prime areas of the EYFS are crucial to children’s early learning and their later success in education and life. Oracy develops children’s thinking and understanding, which in turn promotes self-confidence, resilience and empathy which support the child’s well-being. Our enabling environments and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children as they begin to link learning to their play and exploration right from the start. We believe that high level engagement ensures high level attainment. At Austwick CE Primary, we therefore provide an engaging curriculum that maximises opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links and learning experiences, as well as offering extended periods of play and sustained thinking. We follow children’s interests and ideas to foster a lifelong love of learning both in and outside of school. By the end of the Reception year, our intent is to ensure that all children make at least good progress from their starting points and are equipped with the skills and knowledge to have a smooth transition into Year 1. 

Implementation 

Each half term, EYFS staff introduce a new theme to provide inspiration for learning, whilst providing the flexibility for children to follow their own interests and ideas. Children learn through a balance of child-initiated and adult-directed activities. The timetable is carefully structured so that children have directed teaching during the da.  These sessions are followed by small, focused group work. Due to the size of our school and our ratios, we offer direct teaching daily for all our EYFS cohort in Phonics, Maths, English (ensuring that all our Reception children get the opportunity to read at least three times a week). This means the teacher can systematically check for understanding, identify and respond to misconceptions quickly and provide real-time verbal feedback which results in a strong impact on the acquisition of new learning. Children are provided with plenty of time to engage in ‘exploration’ throughout the variety of experiences carefully planned to engage and challenge them in the provision. The curriculum is planned for the inside and outside classrooms and equal importance is given to learning in both areas. 

English / Literacy  

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum and our aim is to encourage a love of reading right from the start. Children are exposed to a range of books that not only develop a love of reading but have been chosen specifically to develop their vocabulary and comprehension. Children have daily story sessions. Through this, children begin to internalise new vocabulary, language patterns, read independently and begin to retell stories. There is cohesion and consistency with our approach to align with the whole school Literacy Curriculum from Years 1-6 through:  

• The inclusion of high-quality texts which are age and stage appropriate  

• Modelled reading and re-telling opportunities across each session  

• Dedicated phonics sessions, employing tricky and high-frequency words  

• Cooperative learning behaviours which develop oracy and interdependence  

Phonics  

We follow the Little Wandle programme to ensure consistency across the school. In Nursery, children focus on Phase 1 which concentrates on developing children's speaking and listening skills and lays the foundations for the phonic work which starts in Phase 2. The emphasis during Phase 1 is to get children attuned to the sounds around them and ready to begin developing oral blending and segmenting skills, prior to GPC. In Reception, Phase 1 continues but children are introduced to Phase 2 and 3 where they will develop GPC and segmenting and blending skills to decode words. During the Summer term, children may move on to Phase 4 if they are ready. Children are encouraged to read at home and are listened to daily in school, with the aim of becoming successful, confident and fluent readers.  

Mathematics  

In Reception, we follow the White Rose Maths Scheme of work which supports the EYFS framework. High quality learning environments and meaningful interactions with adults, support children in developing mathematical thinking and discussion. Pupils learn through games and tasks using concrete manipulatives and pictorial structures and representations which are then rehearsed applied and recorded within their own child-led exploration. Children in Reception have a daily, direct teaching session to develop fluency, revisit key concepts and address any misconceptions.  

In Nursery, children develop a love of maths through games, songs, rhymes, and play using concrete manipulatives. There is a focus on the following counting principles; one to one correspondence, stable order and cardinal principle. Children’s fine manipulative skills are a focus to develop 1-1 correspondence, so children count each object only once. We follow the Master the Curriculum scheme. 

Wider Curriculum  

Our wider curriculum is taught through the learning areas; ‘Understanding of the World’ and ‘Expressive Arts and Design.’ EYFS staff have a good understanding of how ELG’s feed into the National Curriculum through our robust planning and CPD opportunities. In reverse, colleagues throughout the school are also aware of the key ELG’s that link to each foundation subject and the progression of the subject.  

Exciting, purposeful and contextual activities are planned to build on children’s natural curiosity. For example, building a raft for their favourite toy enables them to think like a ‘Scientist’ and ‘Engineer’ as they explore a range of materials and test out their own ideas.  

Children will be encouraged to employ subject specific language and terminology in foundation subjects, and such vocabulary will be modelled, both verbally and orally, by supporting practitioners.  

Our inclusive approach means that all children learn together, but we have interventions and support for children who may not be reaching their potential or are showing a greater depth of understanding and need further challenge. This includes, for example, sessions for fine motor skills, phonics, and mathematics. 

Regular monitoring of teaching and learning by the head ensure staff develop good subject knowledge. The EYFS teacher also ensures that the team receive CPD specific to Early Years to develop their practice.  

Impact  

Throughout the Nursery and Reception years as part of the learning and teaching process, children will be assessed in relation to their progress towards the Early Learning Goals. These judgements are made on the basis of accumulative observations and in-depth knowledge of the children acquired through ongoing assessment. These ongoing assessments are used to inform planning and next steps in teaching and learning for all children throughout the year. End of year assessments are finalised during the Summer term, summarising each child’s development at that point against the Early Learning Goals and Development Matters. 

With the successful implementation of both an enriched, rounded and balanced curriculum and a well-structured, safe, active and challenging learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, children will be able to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding that enables them to be successful learners. Children will be actively engaged in learning and their enjoyment of this learning will be apparent to all.  All children will have experienced a curriculum that provides, exciting and enriching learning experiences and opportunities for children to learn through educational visits and hands on experiences. Children will more fully appreciate and understand the world around them, experiencing and learning about different cultures, music, dance, art and history. Children will actively ask questions about the world around them and their learning experiences and they won’t fear making a mistake but instead see this as an opportunity to learn.  Children will be able to make links with their learning, develop their skills as they are able to use and apply skills learnt within their learning across the curriculum. Children will also be skilful at solving problems and they will have effectively developed their personal levels of resilience and independent learning skills. Children will be successful learners and fully prepared for the next stage of their education as they transition from Foundation Stage to Year One. We will also aim to help children to make sense of the world around them, to develop tolerance, compassion and an understanding of their rights and the rights of others in an ever-evolving world. Children at the end of Foundation stage will have developed essential knowledge and skills required for everyday life and lifelong learning. Children at Austwick CE Primary will be well rounded, happy, inquisitive and successful learners.