Welcome to Reception class

Statement of EYFS curriculum intent for Winslow Church of England School.

At Winslow Church of England School, we place great value on the development of children as individuals and on ensuring that they are supported to reach their potential and to “Let their light shine.” Our aim is to provide them with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to prepare them for the challenges in Key Stage One and beyond. Our aim in the EYFS is to build strong foundations and children will move on to Key Stage One as independent, happy, curious life-long learners. Our curriculum is therefore based on the children’s prior learning and what we know our pupils need so that they can gain the knowledge, skills and understanding they require for success. We do this by embedding excellent learning behaviours through the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning – Play and Exploration, Active Learning and Creative and Critical Thinking.

Some of our pupils arrive below national expectations for their age and a proportion come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have complex needs. We have to teach them how to listen, speak and meet the high expectations for behaviour by working together and being kind. As such, we prioritise personal, social and emotional development and communication and language in the Pre-School curriculum. Our enabling environment and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children as they begin to link learning to their play and exploration.

As the pupils move into Reception, we invest time and energy into helping pupils set and reflect on their own goals by aiming high and developing a love of reading, writing and number. This is delivered through a holistic curriculum which maximises opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links and learning experiences as well as promoting the unique child by offering extended periods of play and sustained thinking following children’s interests and ideas. We value imagination and creativity and seek to create a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning through our continuous indoor and outdoor provision, alongside trips, visits and regular woodland outdoor learning sessions.
Our intent is to:
• Plan an ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced to support pupils to make progress
• Plan a curriculum based on what the children need to know as well as what they want to know
• Provide children with experiences that build on what they know and allow them to revisit and review knowledge and skills and embed these
• Use a range of different approaches. Children will learn through play, by adults modelling, by observing each other, and through guided learning and direct teaching
• Provide a vocabulary rich environment through teaching and meaningful interactions
• Develop a love of reading and for books
• Provide timely and effective interventions and support for children who are not progressing in the expected way
• Plan and maintain an engaging and dynamic indoor and outdoor learning environment that reflects the children’s needs and interests
• Develop effective partnerships with parents so that we can work together to support the children
• Know our children really well so that we can identify their strengths and plan for what they need next

Statement of curriculum implementation for EYFS at Winslow Church of England School

Curriculum Planning:
We follow the non – statutory guidance in Development Matters 2021. Our curriculum is based on what we want our children to know and the skills we want them to have before leaving EYFS. The curriculum is planned in a cross-curricular way to enable all aspects of the children’s development including understanding the world and expressive art and design as well as to promote sustained thinking and active learning. The characteristics of effective learning are viewed as an integral part of all areas of learning and are reflected in our observations and assessments of children. In Reception we use Little Wandle planning and resources for teaching phonics. We use Mastering Number 2021/2022 from NCETM for planning and resources to teach Maths. We use Little Wandle planning and Big Cat books to teach reading.

Delivery:
Pupils learn through a balance of child-initiated and adult-directed activities. The timetable is carefully structured in Reception so that children have rigorous directed teaching in maths and phonics every day. These sessions are followed by group work where children work with a member of staff to develop their individual targets. Children are provided with plenty of time to engage in ‘exploration’ throughout the variety of experiences carefully planned to engage and challenge them in the indoor and outdoor continuous provision.

Teaching of phonics, maths and reading:
Reading is at the heart of our curriculum. The children are read to for at least 20 minutes daily. They are taught reading through daily phonics and twice weekly guided reading sessions. Our Reception reading spine is a combination of high quality fiction texts and non-fiction texts. Mathematical skills are taught in daily sessions and through continuous provision. We ensure that skills are embedded in lessons through revisiting and reviewing prior learning.

Learning Environment :

The Reception classroom has carefully planned continuous provision indoors and outdoors. The classrooms have clearly defined spaces. Some spaces are small and some are larger. Some spaces have tables and chairs, some of higher or lower surfaces or floor spaces for children to work in. In each defined space children have easily accessible resources that they can select from and access independently. We ensure that the resources are organised so that the children can see what is available to them and can select to express their own ideas. We change the provision as a response to children’s needs. Where an area is being well used we will keep it as a consistent area to allow the children to learn and develop their skills.

Behaviour and self-regulation:

We support children to learn self-regulation, to get along with others, to work and play with others and to recognise feelings. We introduce the children to zones of regulation to help them to understand and identify their feelings and those of others and to understand the impact their behaviours can have on others. We work in close partnership with parents to support children in their development.

Transitions:

Transition to their new Reception class begins for Winslow Church of England pupils in the Summer term previous to starting. In addition to the children who attend our own Rainbows Pre-School, we also visit children in all their previous settings and talk to the professionals that know them well. We make contact and start a dialogue with parents to ensure we draw information on pupils from the people that know them best. We use ClassDojo app to ensure we know the children and their families and they know us before they start school. We have a staggered start in September which incorporates home visits to build the home school partnership and to help children settle well. Children are supported in the Summer term for the transition to Year 1 and this is a planned part of our curriculum.

Communication with Parents:

Teachers work hard to establish relationships with parents before children start school. Staff greet children and parents at the door at the beginning of the day and are always available to talk at the beginning and end of day. Communication with parents occurs also on Class Dojo.  Examples of good work, rewards and outdoor learning are shared on the children’s individual portfolios as well as wider celebration on class story. Termly overviews are shared on the school website. We have two parents evenings each year and an interim and end of year report.

School library

We are extremely proud of our school library. Our school librarian works closely with year groups and FOWS (our PTA) to ensure stock is up-to-date and constantly evaluated. The Reception class have a timetabled library slot to visit, browse and change their books. We have extensive selections of books, including library books, within our classrooms to ensure our classrooms are rich in language and books.

SEND:

All children with SEND remain in the classroom for all learning. They may work in mixed ability Talk Partner pairings, and are closely supported by their adults.  Said adults provide support by modelling, clueing, correcting, prompting and self-scaffolding.  Manipulatives are always available for use.  Pre-learning occurs for some children, along with targeted questioning in class. Some children have carefully planned interventions or support plans. Individual or small group interventions are short and sharp but regularly delivered.

Assessment:

Our inclusive approach means that all children learn together but we have a range of additional intervention and support to enhance and scaffold children who may not be reaching their potential or moving on children who are doing very well. In whole class Maths and phonics sessions teachers are assessing which children have not understood as well and need further support or to identify children who could have an additional challenge. In Reception same day short sharp interventions are delivered after daily sessions. For children who need more support we use Maths interventions and Little Wandle Keep up interventions. We use observations, interactions, pupil responses to ensure we know what the children can do and can plan for what they need next.

Statement of curriculum impact for EYFS at Winslow Church of England School

The impact of the EYFS curriculum is reflected in having well rounded, happy and confident children transitioning into Year 1. Our children are often amazing role models for others in school.

We measure progress and children’s learning across the year through formative and summative assessment which are based on the teacher’s knowledge of the child, their online Classdojo portfolios, photographs and videos and the children’s learning journals and independent work evidence.

Pupil voice is a vital way to assess impact. Through surveys, discussion and feedback, children talk enthusiastically about their learning. Children can talk about what they enjoy doing and how they like to learn. Children can talk about what they know they are good at as well as areas in which they need support. Children can talk about what they have learned and can make some links between their learning and what they have learned previously. They can apply skills in different ways and with different resources.  For example, climbing in PE, Jungle Gym, trees in woodland.

At the end of each year, we expect the children to have achieved the Early Learning Goals (ELGs).  Children who have gaps in their knowledge receive appropriate support and intervention to support them to meet the ELGs. All children should make good or better progress from their individual starting points in all areas of learning. We aim to exceed the National and Local Authority data for children achieving Good Level of Development. Most of our children make more than the expected steps progress from their starting points.

The judgements of our school are moderated with other schools and the EYFS Lead is also our KS1 Lead. This supports us in providing clear, consistent and linear progression of knowledge and skills for children as they progress through to KS1.

The Early Years provision features in all areas of the School Development Plan and has a rigorous plan for development each year. This is monitored and evaluated by the Senior Leadership Team.

Our Reception Team

• Mrs Thomas – Class Teacher
• Mrs Hill – Class Teacher
• Mrs Partridge – Class Teacher
• Miss Fenlon – Trainee Teacher
• Mrs Curtis – Teaching Assistant
• Mrs Rogers – Teaching Assistant
• Mrs Taylor – Teaching Assistant

Work to do if you are at home

Click on the download to view this week’s home learning timetable. This timetable has links to some video lessons that will support the children with their learning from home.

Phonics Resources

Additional support

Routines

• Children enter the classroom at 8.40a.m via our garden gate on the circular playground. We line up at the gate after break and lunch play.
• The children leave at 3. 15p.m via this gate at the end of the day and are handed over to a recognised adult. Please inform us of any changes.
• Once school has started the children are independent in putting away their belongings (water bottle, book bag, hanging up their coat).
• Register and phonics follow. In Reception class we have child initiated, adult initiated and adult led activities throughout the day. 
• The children will attend a library session, ICT session, outdoor PE and a woodland outdoor learning session once a week. 
• Maths sessions and phonics groups are daily. Your child is heard read at least once a week.

Expectations

• All children are required to wear our school uniform; this must all be clearly named.
• On their outdoor learning day the children should wear outdoor clothes suitable for the woodland.
• On PE day the children should wear PE uniform.
• As we are outside a lot of the day, welly boots, raincoats, warm winter coats, winter and summer hats, gloves and scarves are a must – all named clearly.
• A named water bottle (sports cap) is required to be bought in every day. It can be thirsty work in Foundation Stage.
• The children do not need to bring in a backpack – we do not have the space for them. A book bag is sufficient. 
• We have high behavioural expectations of your children so we have age appropriate rewards and sanctions in place.

PE (indoor and outdoor)

• The children have one session of PE each week, and this will be indoors.
• Children should wear their PE uniform to school on their PE day each week.

How parents can help

• Please read with your child every day. Let your child read their school book to you or read a story to your child. Talk about the story, what is happening? What is their favourite part? How do you think the characters are feeling?
• Help your child practice the letter sounds, key words and numbers we send home.
• Sing songs, nursery rhymes and counting songs.
• Encourage your child to be as independent as possible, for example, with dressing and undressing, eating and putting on their coat.
• Talk with your child, have conversations that last 10 or 15 minutes. Give your child ‘thinking time’ in response to questions.
• Play games which encourage turn taking and sharing. 
• Give them time to run, jump, climb and play outdoors. Encourage activities such as building, drawing, threading beads and playdough.
• Point out numbers and shapes you can see in the environment.
• Counting, adding and subtracting anything and everything – socks, cars, shopping, cutlery, food and drink.
• Talk with your child about the places they go and things they see in the world around them.
• Let your child help you with everyday activities – washing up, cooking, shopping, and helping in the garden.