Intent

At Asquith Primary School, we want learning in the EYFS to be fun, active and meaningful. We want to spark children’s curiosity, build their confidence and develop a love of learning. We provide a safe and secure environment where children can explore and engage confidently. We want our children to be happy learners. We understand that every child is unique and we develop strong relationships with our children, getting to know them really well so that we can provide for their needs. At Asquith, children know that we are always there to help and support them. We provide well thought out resources and activities that will develop language, knowledge and skills. We love stories, songs and rhymes and these are a huge part of our day. We encourage and support creativity, conversation and imagination. We want to create a positive attitude to school and a love of learning which we hope will stay with them throughout school. We aim to work collaboratively with parents and carers to encourage independent, enthusiastic learners who thrive and reach their full potential.

Implementation

At Asquith, we want our children to be fully engaged in their learning, so we build upon their interests. We have some topics, that we plan to cover, to ensure that we fulfil all aspects of the EYFS curriculum. However our teaching and learning is planned weekly to ensure that is matches the needs of the children. Our planning is flexible to allow for more ‘in the moment planning’. In this way, topics are taken in the direction children want them to go and we can pick up on their interests and curiosities. We also add new topics, picking up on interests we have noticed, or experiences children have told us about. For example one time we found a hedgehog in the outdoor area. Children were fascinated by the hedgehog, so we spent several days researching hedgehogs, building a hedgehog hide and lots of creative projects based on our hedgehog. Our flexible curriculum, and our in the moment planning, allows us to follow such interests and curiosities.

In nursery, we focus first on the prime areas helping to develop children’s language, their personal, social and emotional skills and their ability to move and control their bodies. As children move through nursery and into reception we continue developing these skills alongside the other areas of the curriculum. We take the learning right back to their individual starting points, building upon what children already know. At Asquith we have high aspirations for all of our pupils.

Our curriculum is delivered through whole class teaching, small group work and through active learning. We thoroughly use both our indoor and outdoor environments to develop all aspects of learning. Teaching and learning is delivered through a holistic curriculum where activities and experiences usually cover a range of curriculum areas. We recognise the importance of play and exploration. We also give children time to think, investigate, ask questions and apply what they have learnt. In this way children have the opportunity to embed their learning so information sticks in their long-term memory. Our enabling environment and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children through their learning journey.

Impact

From their own starting points, children will make excellent progress during their time in our foundation stage. Through our early years curriculum, children develop the knowledge and skills that will support them going into Key Stage One and through their entire school journey. Children will be confident with the foundations of learning which will then be built upon as they move through school. They will be able to listen attentively, ask questions, express their ideas and opinions and have the resilience needed to keep going, even when a task seems challenging. Children will have developed a wider sense of the world around them; they will have learnt and experienced many new things. Children will be able to share and take turns, to consider the feelings of others and will have the strategies to resolve everyday problems and conflicts. Children will happy, confident and ready for their next stage of learning.