Early Years Curriculum 

Intent

In Weetwood Primary School’s Foundation Stage, we aim to provide a happy, stimulating and exciting environment, rich in wonder and memorable experiences. We strive to develop and support children's wellbeing throughout all aspects of their school and home life, as we believe this underpins their educational journey.

Our curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced. It builds on what children know and can do and works towards  knowledge and skills for their future learning. We have high expectations for all children. For children with particular needs, such as those with high levels of SEND, their curriculum is still ambitious and meets their personal needs. We understand that all children are unique and we celebrate each and every child.

The Development Matters document along with the Early Years Statutory Framework set out end of reception year expectations for children by the end of the Foundation Stage.

 

Implementation

The Preschool and Reception classes operate as the Foundation Stage unit. Leaders and practitioners create an environment that supports the intent of an ambitious and coherently planned and sequenced curriculum, following a play-based approach, which supports children in working towards their ‘Early Learning Goals’. These goals are set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework.

The curriculum is split up into seven sections, which we cover throughout the year:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development which encourages children’s understanding of and respect for themselves and others, their confidence in building relationships and managing their own feelings and behaviour.

• Physical Development which encourages children to develop gross and fine motor skills as well as developing their independence and confidence with managing their health and self-care needs.

• Communication and Language which develops their speaking, listening and understanding

• Literacy which develops their reading, comprehension skills and reading.

• Mathematics which introduces them to numbers, counting, calculating, shape and pattern.

• Understanding of the World which introduces them to scientific, historical and geographical ideas.

• Expressive Arts and Design which focuses on their artistic, dramatic and musical skills.

At Weetwood, our highly skilled practitioners understand the pedagogy of children's learning and provide effective support within the setting to scaffold and further children’s development. Staff are regularly trained to ensure they have up to date knowledge of the curriculum and safeguarding measures we have in place.

Although we follow a long term plan, it is also often led by children’s interests and ideas as we believe that this is the best way to capture children’s knowledge. Activities are carefully planned and organised to allow every child the opportunities to explore, investigate and work on activities together. We monitor children’s progression through a range of teaching and learning opportunities including observations to ensure that children are ‘on track’. For those children who may not be on track, we implement suitable interventions to support them where necessary.  This includes planning suitably challenging activities and responding to specific needs.

Practitioners share information with parents about their child’s progress in relation to the EYFS using online journal ‘Tapestry’ where parents are encouraged to contribute towards their child’s learning by supporting and extending their children's interests.

Impact

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 will never 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 skilled 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.

Evidence of the above impact can be seen in the number of children achieving the Early Learning Goal at the end of Reception and in individual children’s tapestry learning journeys.