Early Years Foundation - Reception
Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. Our Nursery and Reception Classes help children to continue to do this by providing interesting experiences that are appropriate for their age and stage of development. We base all the experiences we offer your child around the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. We offer each unique child the opportunity to learn indoors and out, as we help your child towards achieving the Early Learning Goals at the end of their Reception year. When planning for children’s learning we consider their stage of development within three prime areas and four specific areas of learning outlined below.
Prime areas:
- Personal, social and emotional developemnt
- Communication and language
- Physical development
Specific Areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive arts and design
Reading and writing are taught through the daily use of synthetic phoncis (letters and sounds) and is supported by a structured reading scheme.
We aim to provide a safe, secure and inspiring environment with a happy, welcoming atmosphere. Our curriculum provides experiences that are broad and balanced and offer equal opportunities to all children. We promite personal and social competence and children develp positive attitudes towards each other.
All our assessment is done through regular observation. We begin by doing a baseline assessment which informs staff or each child's starting point. We use this information, together with photographs, observations and collected pieces of work, to monitor and documnet children's progress in their individual learning journal in order to help idenfity the next steps in their learning. Parents are invited to collaborate in this process and share information through discussion and completing 'wow vouchers'.
Play is a child's work; it is how they learn about the world in which they are growing up and it can be very intense. Play helps children to learn and develop through doing and talking, exploring and investigating and by creating and experimenting. We plan a range of play activiites and experiences, which help children to make progress in each area of learning and development. There is a careful balance between child led and adult led experiences, and are all designed to develop the whole child.
Key Stage 1 (KS 1) – Year 1 and 2
We believe that adopting positive attitudes to learning right from the start is essential for children to become lifelong learners. Fundamental to this is not only the knowledge and skills taught but also the way in which the curriculum is delivered. Our aim is to deliver the majority of learning through the natural desire young children have for investigation and experimentation. Research has shown that these aspects are a major contributor to intellectual growth and that children need plenty of opportunities to consolidate their learning and understanding through investigation and experimentation. At our school the New Primary Curriculum, which came into force from September 2014 is delivered via purposeful contexts and topics that aim to stimulate young minds.
The children in KS1 follow the National Curriculum subjects as well as personal, social, health education with citizenship. The transition from reception to year 1 is dealt with sensitively, especially in the first term where Year 1 children learn through play and whilst continuing to use the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to develop the child’s learning and social development.
Year 1 teachers use the Foundation Stage Profile (FSP) to build an accurate picture of children’s learning and progress and then move on to the National Curriculum assessment levels. All learning and teaching in KS1 is based on termly themes with children exploring subject knowledge through an overarching topic.
English and mathematics are taught daily and children also receive daily guided reading sessions. Both are taught across the phase through the New Primary National Curriculum 2014.
Reading, writing, speaking and listening continues to be taught through the use of synthetic phonics (letters and sounds) and supported by a structured reading scheme (Oxford Reading Tree and Rigby Star). Children who are more able and those with additional educational needs (AEN) are identified and interventions put in place to help address their needs. Children needing further encouragement and support also may work in small groups with our team of Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA).
Key Stage 2 (KS 2) - Years 3 – 6
Key Stage Two is the area of the school that focuses on the care and education of pupils aged between 7 – 11 years. Our aim in KS2 is to give our children the best possible preparation for their transition to secondary school. We do this by striving for high academic standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science while encouraging children to become collaborative learners and responsible British citizens.
English and mathematics are taught daily and in the mornings, following the primary National Curriculum that was introduced in 2014. In English lessons, teachers choose texts that will inspire and motivate their children whilst ensuring coverage of a full range of genres and skills, which are taught throughout each year. Each school day begins with a spelling session that is followed by a reading session to develop comprehension skills. Each child has personal literacy targets, which they aim to achieve at regular intervals throughout the year.
In mathematics, all KS2 children work towards achieving a differentiated termly target and strengthen their understanding in that particular area of maths. Teachers ensure maths concepts are taught and contextualized and that the children are given opportunities to practice and apply their maths skills in real life problem solving situations. Teachers recognise the importance of fluency in maths therefore mental maths is taught in a focused but fun way in which the children regularly try and beat their own mental maths speed in Big Maths sessions. They also take part in mental maths competitions and challenges through a maths program called Sumdog.
Children who are more able and those with AEN are identified and interventions put into place to help address their needs. Children benefitting from further encouragement or support may also work in small groups with one of our team of HLTAs.
KS2 teachers ensure that the children are taught a broad and engaging curriculum. Each term follows a different theme, which encompasses history, geography, art and design and technology and is linked to the National Curriculum. Themed learning ensures that there are fun, challenging activities for the children to engage in, it encourages independent thinking and creativity, whilst acquiring the skills and knowledge for lifelong learning. Children are taught a modern foreign language by a specialist teacher.
At the end of Key Stage 2, our children take a Standard Assessment Test (SATs) in mathematics, reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation. Their writing is assessed against national standards. A smooth transition to secondary school is ensured through repeated visits to both familiarise the children with what will become their new learning environment and opportunities to meet their new teachers in our secondary phase.