Our EYFS Curriculum

Intent:

 Our curriculum is designed to reflect the whole school values. It aims to teach the children about the immediate and wider world around them, and support them to flourish and reach their full potential. Within each planned topic, children will build on previous knowledge. By the end of Reception, we want to ensure all children are ready for a smooth transition into KS1 and their future learning by building a solid foundation of knowledge and skills. Each topic is part of a two yearly planning cycle however, planning is adapted to children’s interests and the length of time spent on topics is led by the children.

Topics are accompanied and supported by a range of good quality fiction and non-fiction texts.

Through bi-weekly professional dialogue meetings, the EYFS team ensure each child is being challenged appropriately and is supported effectively to meet their goals. The team also discuss the use of areas and how they can be adapted to support child-initiated learning. Children are encouraged to seek out resources they require for developing and completing their own ideas.

Children are encouraged to explore the areas of the department throughout the day and access a wide range of continuous provision such as sensory, writing, number, and physical resources.

All children are supported and given every opportunity to fulfil their potential and meet the Early Learning Goals to support a smooth transition into the rest of their school life

Implementation:

Our aim is, through an observation, planning and assessment cycle, for all children to meet the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception. We teach through a wide range of teaching methods to suit a range of learning styles (kinesthetic [free flow based activities], visual [focus input and adult led activities], aural [accompanying songs and singing], and verbal [discussion with adults and listening to ‘more knowledgeable others’]. Whole group sessions are supported by small group work, 1:1 sessions and interventions where necessary.

Many of the planned activities are play based, however, there is a need for some teacher-led activities to ensure children learn the required skills.

 All activities are modelled by quality first teaching and children are encouraged to return to activities to develop new skills, knowledge or understanding.

Impact:

At SMFR we work hard to ensure that all our children make good progress, based on their individual starting points. Evidence and observations of the children’s progress are noted and recognised by our knowledgeable team who take time to get to know each child as an individual. By spending time with the children, delivering and prompting quality learning throughout the day, we have an expert knowledge on each child's ability and the next steps required to progress their learning.

​In addition to our professional knowledge and conversation, key achievements and milestones are recorded via Tapestry, our secure online  learning journal. We use our observations of the children to make formative assessments of their attainment and to inform future planning and build upon the children’s current knowledge. Our summative assessments look at children’s attainment in relation to age related expectations, created using markers from a combination of the Development Matters and Birth to Five Matters Frameworks. Our assessment is moderated both internally and with other external schools, including schools within our local liaison group.

The impact of our curriculum can be measured by the way in which our children are inspired, excited about and engaged in their learning. We work to ensure our children develop into confident and positive learners, who are excited by new challenges and not put off by challenges. We endeavor to ensure that our children leave the EYFS ready to move with confidence into KS1 and their lifelong learning journey.