Early Years
Our Early Years Leader is Mrs E Smith.
Our Early Years governors are Mrs Sarah Foster, Mrs Jamie Hinde and Mrs Sarah McPhie.
Sedgefield Primary EYFS Curriculum
Sedgefield Primary School’s 7 Big Ideas in Early Years
|
Change |
Collaboration, Creativity & Resourcefulness |
Comparison |
Natural World |
Investigation & Questioning |
People & Community |
Significance |
|
Our curriculum promotes the children being able to observe and communicate changes that have happened to themselves, their family, the environment and from the past. It also supports transitions. |
Our curriculum promotes collaboration, creativity and resourcefulness through how the provision is set up, allowing children to access & request resources. |
Our curriculum promotes children to talk about and develop the language of comparisons, identifying similarities and differences and expressing preferences. |
Our curriculum promotes a love of the natural world where children have opportunities to learn in an outdoor environment, use natural resources and know how to care for their world. |
Our curriculum promotes an inquisitive child who asks questions to find out more information and will ‘give things a go’ to find out more, through identifying and following children’s interests, the resourcing of provision areas and adults modelling questioning and using open ended questions. |
Our curriculum promotes a sense of belonging; as part of their family, their class, the EYFS unit, the school and for the Reception children their family groups. Children also develop an awareness of the wider community through visitors and visits. |
Our curriculum promotes a love of learning and a firm foundation of effective learning behaviours. |
What do we want for our EYFS children at Sedgefield Primary School?
- To be happy, confident, and independent learners.
- To feel safe and valued.
- To be resourceful, reflective, resilient, and able to work as part of a team.
- To be kind and helpful.
- To feel confident to take risks.
- To understand rules and expectations and behave accordingly
Intent:
Our curriculum ambitions:
Our Early Years curriculum is based on the Early Years Framework, Development Matters 2021, Birth to 5 Matters and Curriculum Companion Early Years. These documents set expectations for children to achieve by the end of the Reception year, as well as what children will be learning as they progress towards these goals.
Children joining Sedgefield Primary School, both into Nursery and Reception, have all had different experiences and come with different strengths and needs; we aim to plan and deliver a carefully considered curriculum which meets the needs of all children.
We aim to provide an enriching, purposeful and stimulating learning environment both indoors and outdoors which promotes exploration and curiosity. Play is an incredibly important part in the learning process which we pair with adult-led tasks to ensure a balanced curriculum.
We aim to create an environment where children can learn and grow in a safe and secure environment.
Please see our key curriculum documents below.
Implementation:
At Sedgefield Primary School, we ensure a 'language rich' environment through a variety of stories, non-fiction texts, songs and nursery rhymes. We introduce new vocabulary regularly through class and group sessions as well as in play through high quality conversations and interactions with children. We ensure that our environment is engaging with stimulating enhancements including texts and endeavour to ensure that adults are available to play in provision so that new vocabulary can be modelled effectively. This also encourages children to initiate conversations, share ideas and ask questions about the world around them.
All staff at Sedgefield Primary are trained in 'Little Wandle', our chosen phonics scheme. Nursery children receive daily phonics, focussing on sound discrimination, rhythm and rhyme, alliteration, voice sounds and oral blending and segmenting. These activities are embedded in everyday routines and provision areas. Reception children are delivered a daily Little Wandle session. When ready, the children also take part in practise reading sessions, 3 times a week, using accurately matched decodable ‘Big Cat’ books, and additional ‘Keep Up’ sessions are implemented where necessary. Staff in the Early Years promote a love of reading through carefully planned ‘story’ sessions with texts, fiction, non-fiction, and poems that develop the children’s vocabulary and link to other areas of the curriculum. Reading and writing opportunities are available and encouraged within the provision areas. Focussed writing sessions are part of the Reception timetable. Daily maths sessions take place, where children gain a greater understanding of a range of mathematical concepts. The children are encouraged to apply this knowledge in their play through high quality provision, as well as focused adult-led sessions.
Characteristics of Effective Learning are an integral part of the Early Years and are important when carefully considering the learning environment and the opportunities that will be available. They include 'finding out and exploring', 'being willing to have a go', 'being involved and concentrating' and being a 'creative and critical thinker'. Our learning spaces are planned out carefully with the Characteristics of Effective Learning in mind and are constantly adapted to meet the needs and interests of our children. As a team, we value the impact that provision can have and therefore have a range of opportunities for children to develop their Reading, Writing and Maths, but also fine and gross motor skills. These skills can be developed both indoors and outdoors and can be targeted through engaging activities that encourage curiosity and exploration.
Our curriculum is taught through a mixture of topics that are based on the children’s interests, significant events and where needed specific topics to ensure coverage of the curriculum. It focuses on teaching a balance of skills and knowledge through a combination of play and adult-led activities and is based on the needs of the current cohort. Regular assessments are carried out through observations, 'objective led planning' and class, group and 1-1 sessions. The knowledge of the children is then used to inform future planning.
In the Early Years we pride ourselves on developing strong and positive relationships with our families. Communicating effectively with parents/carers is vital in ensuring good progress for our children. We communicate through a weekly newsletter, and parents/carers have the email address of key staff so that they can ask questions, share worries and pass on information about their child. Practitioners are available to speak to on request at a convenient time, as well as before and after school. During each academic year there are 2 parent evenings, 2 short reports and a long report, as well as opportunities to come into school prior to admission and meetings to enable parents/carers to support their children with their learning.
Impact:
Our carefully planned curriculum and continuous assessment ensures that our children make good or rapid progress towards the Early Learning Goals and reach 'good level of development' by the end of the Reception year. It also ensures that children are 'Year 1 ready' and can continue to make good progress as they move on to the next steps in their journey. Children at Sedgefield Primary School leave Early Years as happy, confident, learners who feel valued and have a good understanding of our school’s expectations.
Our curriculum is reviewed regularly to ensure that it meets the needs of our current cohort of children.
Please take a look at our EYFS page.
For more information about the Early Years curriculum, please contact Mrs Smith via the school office 01740 620359, office@sedgefieldprimary.co.uk.