Welcome to EYFS at Allanson Street Primary School

Subject Leader: Mr. Colley

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” – Fred Rogers.

What will our children learn and why?

Our EYFS curriculum is designed to provide all children with the learning opportunities and experiences that they need to develop the knowledge, skills and values to be able to succeed as learners and in life. Planned learning opportunities are heavily weighted around Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, and Physical Development (Prime Areas of Learning). The areas of Literacy, Maths, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design are delivered through a balance of adult led and child-initiated activities.

Children have access to a high- quality learning environment covering all the required areas of learning. Regular opportunities are planned to reinforce new learning and to support understanding. Learning through play underpins our approach to teaching and learning in the foundation stage. We embrace the fact that young children learn best from activities and experiences that interest and inspire them to learn. Therefore, we have environments that provide continuous provision and enhancements.

How will we ensure that our children leave us equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to flourish in the next stage of their learning journey and beyond?

Our Early Years curriculum has been mapped from the beginning of Nursery to the end of Reception to ensure that every child receives a broad, balanced, and progressive curriculum. We understand our curriculum needs to prepare children with the skills and knowledge to access the National Curriculum.

We ensure there is a balance of child- initiated learning through continuous provision, and adult led activities, across the school day. Although much of the time is spent with children self-selecting tasks, the interaction between the adult and child is essential. The adults respond to each child’s emerging needs and interests, guiding their development through warm, positive interaction. The adult’s role is to continually model, demonstrate and question what the child is doing. In some cases, the adult will ask a child to complete a task with them; at other times they will participate in the child’s play, extending it where possible. We see our Early Years staff as “co-adventurers”.

All children within the EYFS have access to a shared outdoor learning environment where they have the opportunity to develop their skills further. Continuous provision provides children with stimulating, active play to encourage creative and critical thinking alongside other children, as well as on their own. Children can practice skills and build upon and revisit prior learning and experiences at their own level and pace. Play gives our children the opportunity to pursue their own interests, inspire those around them and consolidate their understanding and skills. The children learn to adapt, negotiate, communicate, discuss, investigate and ask questions.

Our adults take an active role in child-initiated play through observing, modelling, and questioning. They teach and extend play whilst developing skills and language. We understand that outdoor play is of equal importance as indoor play and that the outdoor classroom offers children ‘bigger’, ‘louder’ and ‘messier’ experiences. We therefore aim to offer free flow access to our outdoor learning areas throughout the school day.

How will our Early Years curriculum make a difference for our children?

Our children will:

• Be safeguarded and introduced to safe, trusted adults with whom they can share worries or concerns.
• Have a happy, positive and enjoyable start to their school life within a safe and secure environment.
• Be encouraged to develop independence within a nurturing and supportive atmosphere.
• Have full access to a fun, play-based, child-centred, curriculum that meets the needs of our children and creates a solid foundation for future learning.
• Be provided with a broad and balanced curriculum that helps each child to recognise their own strengths and achievements by experiencing success and developing their confidence to work towards personal goals
• Be exposed to a learning environment that is exciting, accessible and challenging for all pupils.
• Be supported in building relationships with their peers through the development of social skills such as cooperation and sharing.
• Be given support and strategies to help them to deal with any struggles with their personal and emotional development, teaching them how to self-regulate.
• Be equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to ensure they are ready for the challenges of the Year 1 curriculum.
• Develop school values so that they can work towards becoming confident, productive citizens.
• Enjoy the support which comes from effective partnerships between parents / carers and school staff which can be utilised to support children’s learning and development.