Introduction
At Carr Infant School, we believe that the Early Years Foundation Stage plays a crucial role in developing children’s curiosity and love of learning. At Carr Infant School we place great value on the development of children as individuals and providing them with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to prepare them for the challenges in Key Stage One and beyond. Our children in EYFS learn in a stimulating environment with high quality provision areas inside and outdoors. We follow the EYFS statutory framework, facilitating opportunities for the children to play and develop in the prime areas of learning (physical development, communication & language and personal, social & emotional development) as well as challenge in the specific areas of literacy, maths, art & design and understanding the world to ensure our children are ready and prepared for Key Stage 1.
Our absolute priority is to develop a thirst for learning in our children, alongside confidence and resilience so that they know they are capable of absolutely anything! The EYFS curriculum encompasses our school values; Confidence, Communication and Creativity
Intent
Our intent for EYFS is to inspire, engage and enthuse our children to be active learners every day, not just in EYFS but throughout their whole school journey. Children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning is ignited through exciting, open-ended provision areas both inside and outdoors, alongside nurturing and high quality adult interactions, which ensure that children develop the skills needed to learn, form positive relationships and thrive.
Implementation
Our approach is implemented through the children’s interests on a daily basis through our play based curriculum. Our highly effective practitioners work with the children in the environment to encourage the pupils to explore and investigate problems, to ensure the best outcomes for all pupils. Their excellent knowledge of the Early Years Curriculum allows them to support pupils' progress during play, allowing each child to have ownership of their learning.
At Carr, we believe the adult’s role is to facilitate opportunities for children to learn through thoughtful enhancements and sensitive, nurturing interactions. This allows practitioners to work on children’s next steps ensuring that each interaction with children leads to progress. By responding to pupils this way, they see play as meaningful and their time in provision is valued. This in turn creates empowered learners who are keen to develop and lead their own play. Examples of this include, developing mark making skills by encouraging children to write a recipe in the Mud Kitchen/Sand area. Also, designing and labelling a picture of a pattern they have created.
The timetable is carefully structured so that children have rigorous directed daily teaching in English, maths, phonics and a story session focusing on a high quality text per week alongside prolonged periods of play. The purpose of our effective continuous provision is to offer children a constant environment that is safe for the children at Carr to explore whilst challenging their learning. It allows children the freedom to explore and become independent in making choices.
Impact
The impact of our Early Years approach is that when children leave Reception, they are:
Daily Phonics
In Early Years, we have a rigorous approach to phonics teaching. From September 2021, we are using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to teach phonics.
Each phonics adult-led session comprises of four parts: revisit/review; teach; practise and apply. This ensures that children make rapid progress. Each child has a decodable reading book, which is accurately matched to their learned phonic knowledge, they bring home daily to support their early reading skills.
Daily Mathematics
Mathematics in Early Years at Carr Infant School is based around the Early Years Mastering Number approach alongside White Rose Maths. Children’s chances of success are maximised if they develop deep and lasting understanding of mathematical procedures and concepts. The children will investigate and explore each number. This is through a range of planned and structured play situations, both independent, and supported by teachers as play partners, where there is plenty of scope for exploration.
Not a moment is wasted throughout the day, as Maths is emphasised in all aspects of the daily routine e.g. snack-time /lining up/tidying up etc. Maths through real-life and meaningful experiences, using practical hands-on resources is key.
Parents as Partners
Tapestry is a secure online Learning Journal we use to record photos, observations and comments, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, to build up a record of your child’s experiences during their time with us. This system allows us to work with parents and carers to share information and record the children’s play and learning in and outside of the classroom on a daily basis. At Carr Infant School we actively encourage our parents to upload home achievements onto Tapestry, these are celebrated in class throughout the week.
Parents/ carers are invited into school for ‘Stay and Play’ sessions with their child throughout their time at school. This provides parents/ carers with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the classroom environment and meet other parents.
We take the time to ‘get to know’ and understand the children and their families enabling us to offer support as needed.
We also use Class Dojo as a means of keeping parents up to date with any news and information. Class Dojo is also used as a behaviour system whereby we can notify parents of the children’s successes throughout the day.