"The strong early years curriculum means that children embed essential knowledge about numbers and letters. Children also participate in play activities, which inspire them with new words and ideas."

(Ofsted, February 2020)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a stage of development from birth to the end of Reception. Children do best when parents and teachers work together in partnership. The staff in Reception work with every family to ensure that each child achieves their full potential.

The EYFS is based on four principles:

1. The Unique Child - every child is a competent learner who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

2. Positive Relationships - children learn to be strong and independent from a base of secure and loving parents and/or key person.

3. Enabling Environments - the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.

4. Learning and Development – children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. There are seven Areas of Learning and Development. All areas are important and interconnected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas are: communication and language; physical development, and personal, social and emotional development. In addition, there are four specific areas through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are: literacy; mathematics; understanding the world and expressive arts and design.

Our 'traditional' focus in Reception

In the mornings, Reception lessons are structured similarly to those in Years 1 and 2, ensuring a consistent approach to teaching and effective transition to Year 1. Lessons are taught whole class and are followed by opportunities for children to practice their learning. This approach supports high expectations for all children.

Reading is taught daily using the Read Write Inc phonics scheme. We place significant emphasis on developing children’s fluency in mathematics, including skills such as counting, recognising small quantities, comparing numbers, and problem-solving. This is achieved through the use of the ‘White Rose’ maths scheme and the ‘Mastering Number’ project. 

During writing lessons, we ensure that children are taught the correct pencil grip and correct posture for sitting at a table. Daily lessons in reading, writing, and mathematics are delivered, providing frequent opportunities for children to consolidate and apply their skills.

At the start of each lesson, pupils are given time to orally rehearse key vocabulary using the 'My Turn, Your Turn' approach. They also have time to review previous learning, and the 'Think, Pair, Share' strategy is used to discuss new concepts. Throughout the lesson, children engage in partner talk to further develop their oracy skills.

Pupils’ learning, vocabulary, and understanding of the world are further enriched through exposure to poems, stories, non-fiction texts, maps, and through visits and interactions with visitors. We prioritise the teaching of vocabulary to ensure that children develop a rich and diverse vocabulary, enabling them to think critically, reason, debate, and participate confidently in meaningful conversations.

In the afternoons, the focus shifts to providing children with opportunities to explore and engage with learning through the Reception setting.

We follow the Primary Knowledge Curriculum and teach explicit lessons based on a different theme each half term.   

How to Help Your Child

• Encourage your child to be independent. For example: tidying up their toys at the end of the day, putting their plate and cutlery in the sink after eating a meal, putting on, or taking off shoes and jackets and putting their dirty clothes in the basket at bath time. The children will then use their independence in their learning at school.
• Each week share and enjoy books together (with the TV off). Read and tell stories to your child in your home language as well as in English.
• Please speak to your child in your home language. They will learn English quicker if you do.
• Afford your child opportunities to do a variety of activities. Limit the time they are allowed to spend on the computer/mobile devices e.g. iPad or watching TV
• Learning at this age does not fit neatly into categories; almost anything you do can become a useful learning experience. For example: cooking, shopping, dressing and undressing, writing lists, crossing the days off a calendar, talking about what you can see in the park or on the street and counting the stairs as you go up and down.
• Please communicate with the Reception staff. This may be about significant events and interests or concerns and worries.

At the end of Reception year children are assessed against the 17 Early Learning Goals. Children are defined as having reached a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of the EYFS if they have achieved the expected level for the ELGs in the prime areas of learning (which are: communication and language; personal, social and emotional development; and physical development) and the specific areas of mathematics and literacy.