Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
At Ashperton Primary Academy our intent is to create a learning environment and build relationships which support, enhance and invite a child’s curiosity, confidence and individual competency to flourish regardless of backgrounds, circumstances or needs. We work collaboratively with parents and carers to encourage independent, enthusiastic learners who thrive and reach their full potential.
It is our intent that children who enter our EYFS begin their lifelong learning journey by developing physically, verbally, cognitively and emotionally whilst also embedding a positive attitude to school and a love of learning. To ensure children make the best possible progress EYFS, it is our intent to take into consideration their starting points and needs of our pupils as they begin their learning journey. Every child has access to a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum which prepares them for now and for the future in terms of opportunities and experiences. Following personal interests and individual needs, allows us to plan and provide opportunities throughout our EYFS curriculum to support learning and development and achieve their next steps.
Our EYFS curriculum aims to enable our children to be: Competent and creative learners; who are curious about the world around them. Secure and confident; who enjoy coming to school and learning new skills and knowledge building on their existing learning. Skilful communicators; who connect with others through language and play, ensuring that they play in a vocab rich environment. It is our intent to ensure that all children will receive quality teaching of early reading through systematic, synthetic phonics to learn to read words and simple sentences accurately by the end of Reception.
At Ashperton, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and our Early Years curriculum and practice is based on the four overriding principles :
The framework covers the education and care of all children in early year’s provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities. Our Curriculum provides language rich experiences delivered through play and focussed teaching, to ensure children make progress and are ready to move onto Year 1. The children are provided with opportunities to access our indoor and outdoor provision and Forest School, where they engage in planned, focussed activities as well as self-initiated and continuous provision. We value the importance of healthy eating, physical activity and self-care and ensure that the children have healthy snacks, regular exercise and are taught about oral hygiene.
The learning objectives within our Early Years curriculum are split into the seven areas of learning and development which are interconnected and intertwined with the Characteristics of Effective Learning. The Development Matters document and Birth to 5 document were used to create the learning objectives for our Early Years curriculum. The EYFS curriculum topics are finalised each year, to stem from the curiosities of the children, build upon their entry points and needs. These topics can evolve throughout the year as the children grow and develop and are finalised after discussions with the children. Our curriculum topics are driven by good quality texts, which support the learning of new vocabulary and concepts and excite and engage children in their learning. The children are given first hand experiences (inside, outdoors, visitors and school trips) to widen experiences, awe and wonderment and many exploratory, problem solving and creative thinking opportunities.
Although Technology is no longer an Early Learning Goal, we feel it important that children learn how to use technology safely and purposefully in creative and collaborative ways in preparation for Year 1.