Curriculum
The Early Years Foundation Stage is the period of learning and development from birth to the end of their first year in school (Reception). It is called the Early Years Foundation Stage because it gives children secure foundations to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. The EYFS Framework describes how playgroups, day nurseries, childminders, nursery (F1) and reception classes (F2) should work with children and their families to support their development and learning. It describes how your child should be kept safe and cared for and how all concerned can make sure that your child achieves the most that they can in their earliest years of life. This framework is based on four important principles:
A unique child– Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
This means we recognise that children develop in individual ways and at varying rates. We are inclusive and ensure that no child or family is discriminated against, and that the health, well being and safety of the children in our care is paramount.
Positive Relationships – Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships. We see parents as partners - when parents & Nursery staff work together, it has a positive impact on children’s development and learning.
Enabling Environments – Children learn and develop well in enabling environments in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers. By giving the children a rich and varied learning environment, making use of both inside and outside areas, we support every child in their learning and development. Activities are planned by observing the children in order to understand their individual needs.
Learning and Development— Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities. We recognise that play is a child’s work and that children learn best through physical and mental challenges. Playing is the child’s way of discovering the world around him/her and how it works. Play is a natural vehicle for learning because it motivates young children. Learning experiences with a variety of materials provide opportunities for exploration and experimentation, construction and representation, creation and imagination, learning skills and concepts, repetition, consolidation, socialisation and emotional security. Early experiences affect children’s attitudes to learning. They create the basis for later learning.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum
There are seven areas of learning and development, all of which are important and interconnected. The prime areas, which are crucial for building children’s capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive, are:
Communication and Language |
Physical Development |
Personal, Social and Emotional Development |
There are four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are:
Literacy |
Mathematics |
Understanding the World |
Expressive Arts and Design |
In Foundation Stage, we endeavour to provide educational programmes that involve activities and experiences for children, as follows:
Communication and language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations. |
Physical development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food. |
Personal, social and emotional development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities. |
Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest. |
Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures. |
Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment. |
Expressive arts and design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology. |
In this section
Overview of Nursery Curriculum Themes: 2020-2021
Core Stories
Number stories
2020-2021 |
AUTUMN 1 |
AUTUMN 2 |
SPRING 1 |
SPRING 2 |
SUMMER 1 |
SUMMER 2
|
Topic
|
All about me BLACK HISTORY |
Once Upon a Time
Light up the World! Diwali & Christmas |
On the Move Chinese New Year |
Our wonderful world – growth, farming around the world, changes Easter |
Under the Sea -mini-beasts, animals, sea creatures |
To Infinity & Beyond! |
Core Texts |
-Ruby's Worry -We are all different -Be Who You Are -We are all Welcome -So Much |
-Once upon a time -Goldilocks and the three bears -3 Billy Goats Gruff -Gingerbread man -Elmer - colours -The Proudest Blue - Twinkle twinkle |
- We're going on a bear hunt - Mr Gumpy’s Outing -Duck's day out - Duck in a truck - Coming to England
-Pass the parcel |
-Jack and the Beanstalk - Farmer duck -Oliver's vegetables -The Tiny Seed - Ten Chirpy chicks |
-Aarrgghh Spider -Dear Zoo -The Very Hungry Caterpillar -Rainbow Fish -The Gruffalo
|
-Whatever next -Aliens wear underpants - How to catch a star -Pirate Pete and his smelly feet -10 Little Pirates |
RE STORY FOCUS |
Christianity Creation story |
Hinduism Diwali story Christmas story |
Sikhism
|
Hinduism -Holi Easter story |
Sikhism Vaisakhi
|
Islam Eid
|
ONGOING LEARNING/ TRIPS and VISITS
Forest school learning
|
Visits to local area – parks, forests. |
Visit to St Laurence’s Church
|
Visit to the Gurdwara |
Chicks and Miller’s Ark Farm Buttercup and Clover |
Bug Visitor
|
Visit to a Mosque |