Intent

At Landulph we follow the whole school curriculum intent statement, this document supplements that with an early years’ insight.

Fundamental to our curriculum, is the understanding that every child is unique.  The EYFS curriculum is designed to recognise children’s prior learning and provide a curriculum which promotes curiosity and develops the foundations to become life-long learners.  During their time in EYFS children will be immersed in topics that have been planned based on a broad and balanced coverage of the EYFS framework, children’s interest and gaps identified by assessment, all of which is underpinned by the importance of developing children’s communication and language skills.

We offer an environment where the children feel safe and secure, and we work hard to provide a stimulating environment that is language rich, provides exciting opportunities, promotes challenge, exploration and a real love of learning.

Through our curriculum, we ensure we embed the right habits for learning through the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning – Play and Exploration, Active Learning and Creative and Critical Thinking.

Implementation

At Landulph Primary we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. This is made up of four overriding principles which our early year’s education is based upon:

Unique Child – Every child is unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive Relationships – Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.

Enabling Environments – Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and carers.

Learning and Development – Children develop and learn in different ways. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early year’s provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The curriculum provides a play-based and experiential learning environment, combined with focused teaching and basic skills, to ensure children are ready for Year 1. The children in Foundation are provided with ample opportunities accessible in our indoor and outdoor provision. They engage in planned, focused activities as well as self-initiated activities. Each area of learning at Landulph has been designed carefully to support independence and self-selection. This has been done ensuring our resources are easily accessible for all and there are resources that challenge and motivate pupils to take risks with their learning,

The learning experiences within our Early Years are linked to the seven areas of learning and development within the EYFS.  These areas are split into three prime areas and four specific areas. The three prime areas are those which the children should develop first and are considered most essential for the healthy development and future learning of our children. These include:

 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development – involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.

Communication and Language – involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

Physical Development – involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.

 

As children grow and make progress in the prime areas, this will help them to naturally develop skills within the four specific areas. These are:

 

Literacy – the early teaching of literacy involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children are given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.

Mathematics – the early teaching of mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and describing shapes, spaces, and measures.

Understanding the World – this involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive Arts and Design – this involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.

 

Our curriculum map outlines how we regularly revisit key concepts that underpin learning.  Using this spiral model will ensure that pupils regularly revisit prior knowledge and skills in preparation for developing, deepening and strengthening further knowledge.

Additionally, we provide the children with the opportunity (twice yearly) to engage in our weekly ‘Wild Tribe’ provision.  This allows our children to participate in an approach that is child-centred, enhances health and well-being, develops confidence and self-esteem whilst being a hands-on learning experience using our own outdoor setting.

We use Tapestry to share ‘wow’ moments with parents, alongside topic books and floor books.  These evidence the successes of the children throughout their time in Early Years, as well as supporting professional discussions about pupil progress.

 

Impact

We have high expectations to ensure that all children make ‘good progress’ across all of the areas of the EYFS curriculum.  Therefore, progress is evident on Tapestry, in books, in our floor books, RWI phonics assessments, and in the summer term - PIRA and PUMA summative assessments.  We strive for children to reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of Foundation and to be at least in line with National Expectations.

 

At assessment points, the class teacher reviews the progress of the child’s development and records on our data tracker, this progress check identifies the areas in which a child is progressing well and the areas in which additional support is needed.

 

At the end of the EYFS, teachers complete the EYFS profile for each child. Pupils are assessed against the 17 early learning goals, indicating whether they are:

 

Meeting expected levels of development (expected)

Not yet reaching expected levels (emerging)

The impact of our curriculum will also be measured by how effectively it helps our pupils develop into well rounded individuals who embody our values and carry with them the knowledge, skills and attitudes which will make them lifelong learners.  We endeavour for pupils to be Year 1 ready and to have our school values embedded by the end of Foundation, preparing them for their future.

 

The EYFS Curriculum Lead is: Karen Ball