EYFS Curriculum
Our Vision: 'Learning through Love, Fun and Faith'
...therefore we provide the highest quality education, for each and every child, in partnership with parents, within a happy and respectful Christian community.
Hawksworth CE Primary’s curriculum is bespoke, unique to our school and meets the needs of our children to prepare them for an ever-changing world.
Intent
At Hawksworth CE Primary School, we offer an EYFS curriculum rich in wonder and memorable experiences.
Our curriculum is designed to challenge and inspire our children, encouraging them to develop into independent, motivated learners who are curious about the world around them. We provide stimulating and engaging learning experiences which foster curious, interested learners who seek new challenges, believe in themselves and interact positively with others.
Our children are nurtured within a happy, caring and safe environment where they are encouraged to explore, enquire and take risks both inside and outside of the classroom. We focus on the development of every child as an individual, valuing and building on their previous experiences and responding to their individual needs.
We understand that play is an integral part of learning and it is at the heart of our Early Years curriculum. We believe that a mix of adult led and uninterrupted child-initiated play ensures the best outcomes for our pupils. Warm and positive relationships between staff and children, consistent routines and strong relationships with parents are key. Our children make rapid progress within a child centred context allowing a smooth transition into Key Stage 1.
Implementation
At Hawksworth CE Primary School, we follow the Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Our curriculum is shaped by the seven areas of learning outlined in the Framework:
Prime Areas
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language Development
Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Impact
Through the delivery of a carefully planned, child-led and challenging curriculum pupils leave the Early Years Foundation Stage as independent learners, with transferable skills needed to start Key Stage One.
The impact of our curriculum is measured by daily observations and assessments and internal termly data.
This will be measured at the end of Reception as to whether the pupils have achieved a Good Level of Development. We aim for our pupils to leave our Foundation stage ready for the next stage in their education and ready for Year 1 by:
- Using their phonics knowledge to read words and sentences accurately with increasing speed and fluency.
- Write simple sentences.
- Understanding and using early numbers
- Having good personal, physical and social skills.
- Enjoying, listening attentively and responding with comprehension to familiar stories and rhymes.
- Demonstrating positive attitudes to learning through high levels of curiosity, concentration and enjoyment.
- Children will listen intently and respond positively to adults and each other.
- Being resilient learners who are keen to learn and are proud of their achievements.
EYFS, our topics
In the EYFS, our topics are termly. These topics provide inspiration for learning while providing the flexibility for children to follow their own interests and ideas. Our topics are coherently planned to build upon the children’s current knowledge and understanding. The pupils are encouraged to wonder and ask questions about what they are learning and this information is used to plan subsequent lessons.
We prioritise creating a ‘language-rich’ environment through the use of songs, nursery rhymes, stories and providing time for quality interactions between adults and between peers.
Reading
Reading is at the heart of our curriculum and children are encouraged to become early readers through the enjoyment of books and the systematic teaching of phonics. Phonics is taught daily using the Rockets Phonics scheme. Our topics are supported by quality key texts which have been carefully selected to support the children’s language development. These texts support the teaching of writing in the EYFS.
Maths
Maths is taught through a range of experiences including counting as part of the daily routine; discreet teaching with follow-up group activities and play-based opportunities and experiences through the learning environment. We recognise that Maths can take place in any environment and we promote the use of learning maths skills through play-based opportunities. Children experiencing any difficulties are identified early and support measures are put into place. Teachers target specific questions at individuals in whole class teaching, extending the children’s understanding, allowing key mathematical concepts to be revisited and developed across the year. We adopt the White Rose Maths approach to our teaching, which ensures progression and coverage throughout the year. We also use Master the Curriculum Maths Mastery to support our teaching and learning alongside White Rose Maths.
Parents
Parents have a crucial role to play in their children's education which is why we work hard to create strong partnerships between home and school. Parents are regularly informed about their child’s progress through Tapestry, parents’ evenings and written reports. They are provided with the expectations and requirements needed to meet age-related expectations.
Early Learning Goals
As part of the learning and teaching process, children are assessed in relation to their progress toward the Early Learning Goals. These judgements are made on the basis of accumulative observations, adult-led learning activities and in-depth knowledge of the children acquired through ongoing assessment. These ongoing assessments are used to inform planning and the next steps in teaching and learning for all children throughout the year. Planning is flexible and responsive to children’s needs and interests.
EYFS Cumulative skills map
