ST PETER’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Early Years Foundation Stage
"In the early years, children receive a superb start to school. The nurturing environment supports children to become confident and articulate learners."
OFSTED March 2017
In Reception we use the indoor and outdoor environments to support play and learning. All children have access to the classroom and outside learning space throughout the day during free play or adult-directed tasks.
All children have an ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ profile book in which teachers and staff collect observations on the children and their achievements. These books are available in the classroom for children and parents to look at.
The progress of each child is assessed termly to check that they are working within the expected range for their age. At the end of Reception all teachers complete statutory assessments of the children against the ‘Early Learning Goals’.
In our Reception classroom we love to have a rich and varied curriculum. Throughout the academic year we take part in many different activities that develop the children’s understanding and widen their experiences of the world.
The photos below shows some of the highlights of a typical academic year.
The Curriculum we teach consists of seven areas of learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development - developing confidence and independence as part of a group. Learning to take turns, show awareness of their own abilities. Develop perseverance and empathy. Learn how to make healthy food and exercise choices and to become confident at taking care of own physical needs e.g. using the toilet and managing own clothing.
Communication and Language - communicating with one another through speaking and listening skills. Taking turns when speaking, speaking in front of a group. Using language to retell or make up stories.
Physical Development - improving control and coordination of the body and learning to move and handle equipment efficiently. Developing gross and fine motor skills. Learning to move in different ways. How to keep healthy. Developing fine motor control for handwriting and letter formation.
Literacy - developing early skills in reading and writing. Using phonics to read and write words and sentences.
Maths - learning about number, number patterns, counting and quantity
Understanding the World - investigating and beginning to understand the things, places and people around the local community. Showing an awareness of other cultures and religions and the past and present.
Expressive Arts and Design - finding ways to communicate by using colour, shape, sound, texture, dance, movement, role play and stories.
The curriculum in Reception is underpinned by the three Characteristics of Effective Learning:
Playing and exploring – engagement
Finding out and exploring
Playing with what they know
Being willing to ‘have a go’
Active learning – motivation
Being involved and concentrating
Keeping trying
Enjoying achieving what they set out to do
Creating and thinking critically – thinking
Having their own ideas
Making links
Choosing ways to do things
