"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)
“Reception should not just be a repeat of what children learned in their nursery or pre-school, or with their childminder. They deserve better than facing years of catching up.”
(Amanda Spielman, Ofsted Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, November 2017)
“By the end of Reception, the ability to read, write and use numbers is fundamental. They are the building blocks for all other learning.”
(‘Bold Beginnings’ Ofsted report November 2017)
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
"Social science research in the US has shown a consistent correlation between income and vocabulary size. Students who have been read to as toddlers, and who understand the language of the classroom are constantly building up their knowledge and vocabulary in school. Those who come from less advantaged homes enter school without the verbal repertoire and knowledge that enable them to thrive. Instead they fall further behind fortunate children."
(Professor E.D. Hirsch, 2013).
How to Help Your Child