Early Years

EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)

In Reception, we follow the EYFS statutory guidance as this age group is not part of the National Curriculum. There is a focus on child initiated learning and all topics are chosen by the children, guided by the adults but with the learning directed by the children.

In the early stages of school life we concentrate on the Prime Areas of learning in our observations of the children.  These Prime Areas consist of: Communication and Language (listening and attention, understanding and speaking), Physical Development (moving and handling and health and self-care) and Personal, Social and Emotional Development (self-confidence and self-awareness, managing feelings and behaviour and making relationships). 

Teachers watch the children’s interactions with their peers, particularly looking for how they deal with joining groups, managing conflict and social skills within challenges, tasks and play.  We encourage children to follow instructions and be independent in dressing, eating and toileting.

For those children who may need help in different areas we tailor the support to the individual child.  Some children may need support in communicating with their peers and this is given in small groups dealing with aspects of social skills to help them.

In Reception, we offer support to parents and carers so that they can help their children with their learning journey.  We offer ‘stay and play’ sessions throughout the year focussing on a different part of the curriculum in order to show how we teach the children and give ideas on activities adults could try at home with their children.

The ‘stay and play’ sessions for this year are:

Phonics, maths, reading and writing.  There is opportunity to set up other sessions after this time according to the need/wishes of the parent or carer. The ‘stay and play’ sessions have proved popular and the feedback is that both have been very useful in helping parents and carers to best support their children.

One of our key foci this year is the continuing development of the Outside Area, to make it as child friendly and challenge rich as possible.

We are also continuing to develop the children’s Learning Journeys (the child’s individual record of their learning over the course of the year), and are continually striving to make these a complete record of the child.  We require help from parent/carers to make this a true reflection of the child as we do not have the complete picture at school and parents/carers can often see different elements of the child at home.

The Reception year is a very exciting beginning to school life and we aim to make it as much fun as possible.  We truly believe that when a child is enjoying their learning, they will remember it and be able to apply it.