Early YearS FOUNDATION STAGE
Our Vision:
Our children will be inspired, independent learners who are kind and curious members of the Hawkedon family and ready for their next steps.
Early Years education is the foundation upon which pupils build the rest of their lives. We help the children learn through a variety of real, hands on experiences that engage, stimulate and inspire them to want to know more and develop an ‘I can’ attitude towards learning. We provide a rich and stimulating environment with both play-based child-led learning and teacher-led planned activities in which every child can feel safe and secure to thrive both socially and academically.
Learning and Development
There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early years settings. These areas are equally important and inter-connected. However, 3 areas known as the prime areas are seen as particularly important for igniting curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building children’s capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.
The prime areas are:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
The prime areas are strengthened and applied through four more specific areas. These include:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Our Reception Curriculum
- Is a reflection that the children are at the heart of our provision
- Is active, organic and planned to best meet the needs of every child
- Strives to encourage independent thinking and a love for learning
- Strives to encourage solid oracy skills which allows children to confidently converse, state their opinions and reason their ideas.
- Ensures that resources are available to support all areas of learning and stages of development
- Reflects a Values Based Education which equips children with the social and relationship skills and attitudes in order to succeed in school and throughout their lives.
Planning
We plan a wide range of activities and experiences to enable children to develop socially and learn effectively. When planning, we consider the children’s individual needs, interests and development to ensure we provide enjoyable and challenging experiences which move children’s learning on in all seven areas of learning. Our planning is based upon themes that will interest and inspire the children’s learning and the direct teaching of phonics/writing and mathematics. Such topics include Dinosaurs, Superheroes, etc. In planning and guiding children’s activities, we reflect on the different ways that children learn and incorporate this into our practice, and through effective use of questioning enable deep level engagement in learning.
A timetabled day ensures a balance between ‘explore time’, which is child led play and direct whole class or small group teaching which is guided by adults. The environment provides stimulating resources with ease of access for all to enable creative learning opportunities. We have secure routines so the children can easily follow the structure of the day. The children thrive on the familiarity and routine and so feel safe and happy to learn.
Explore Time
Both inside and outside learning environments have a variety of activities for children to access independently. These include, water, gross motor activities, digging, reading corners, role play, craft, maths, writing/mark making area, small world, fine motor etc. Children are encouraged to challenge themselves to become independent learners by selecting play based tasks which will demonstrate their application of knowledge skills and understanding. Adults are highly skilled in how to support and further children’s play without ‘taking over’ and use the concept of sustained shared thinking. The children work with adults to solve a problem, clarify a concept or find out more about an activity. This helps motivate the children in their own learning and also support language development.
Directed Teaching
There is a strong focus on teaching the essential skills and knowledge in the specific areas of learning to ensure the children are prepared for Year 1. We teach these skills through both whole class and small group inputs. This includes the teaching of phonics through the Read Write Inc scheme.
