Bisley C of E Primary School

Early Years Foundation Stage

Intent

Children are supported in their development across the Prime and Specific areas set out in the 2021 statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Quality and consistency in teaching and learning, equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
A focus on strong partnerships with parents/ carers
To develop a rigorous and relentless focus on ensuring development in the Prime Areas:
- Communication and language- all children are exposed to a rich diet of language and vocabulary, closing any gaps between our least advantaged pupils in comparison to their peers
- Physical development- children develop the upper body strength along with the fine motor skills necessary to access their life-long learning
- Personal, social and emotional development- children develop relationships where they interact and support one another within warm and secure attachments. They learn to regulate their emotions and to seek help when needed
To provide access to a stimulating, welcoming and challenging learning environment which fosters engagement, risk taking and independence in their development
To provide all children with a firm foundation in reading, including a love of books as well as a toolkit of phonics knowledge to allow them to access books independently and as quickly as possible

Implementation

We follow the curriculum as outlined in the 2021 statutory framework of the EYFS. We also draw on the non-statutory guidance in Development Matters 2021 and Birth to Five Matters 2021.
Continuous provision across Nursery and Reception allows children to take ownership of their learning choices and develop independence
Staff ensure the learning environment facilitates a balance of child-led and adult-led activities. Through planned, purposeful play and group work, children are given opportunities to explore their emerging interests and fascinations in a way which fosters effective development
A range of “grab and go” provision along with “learning sheds” allow children to make connections and apply their learning from one area across another

We are guided by the 7 areas of learning and development which are equally important and inter-connected. However, the 3 prime areas are seen as particularly important as they form the basis of development:

Communication and language- language development and enrichment are at core of all our interactions and a priority for all EY practitioners
Physical development- an ever-expanding range of opportunities offered (digging patch and large-scale sand pit in YR and A frames in Nursery). This continues to be a priority for our future development
Personal, social and emotional development- our ethos of warm, secure relationships underpins all interactions and is further supported by our knowledge of Emotion Coaching, Restorative Justice and Zones of Regulation

The prime areas are strengthened and applied through 4 specific areas:

Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design

We use spontaneous and child-driven planning to ensure we provide an environment that offers learning opportunities in all these areas
Early reading is approached by fostering a love of books by immersing children in a range of texts through shared stories, role play and teachers being advocates for the wonder of books
In Reception, we ensure children can use phonics as quickly as possible through teaching a rigorous, daily programme using the SSP, Read Write Inc. This involves carpet sessions, group activities and opportunities to apply and embed their phonic knowledge within the play environment through reading and writing activities
Drawing from maths mastery principles, guidance from Sue Gifford and principles in Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters, children have daily opportunities to apply and embed their mathematical learning in whole-class and group sessions along with varied continuous provision inside and out.
In line with Development Matters 2021, we use the “Observe-Assess-Plan” cycle to make sure all our assessments are based on our knowledge of the children and feed directly into the provision we offer them. Assessment is not about collecting lots of data and should not take practitioners away from the children. We do not require a photograph or written observation to justify an assessment; our practitioner’s knowledge of our children is our most valuable assessment tool
Observations are recorded on the online Tapestry learning journal
While assessment is an ongoing process, we do have 3 summative assessment collection points, in nursery and reception class; baseline, midyear and end of year. Teachers enter their most current assessments into Target Tracker.

Impact

Children across the EY are friendly, confident and happy learners. They are independent and know how to access the resources they need to facilitate their own learning. This is evident from weekly learning walks conducted by AHT and EY lead.

Children in nursery say:

“At Foxcubs we have the sparkly playdough and lots of games.” (MJ 3 yrs.)
“If I’m sad my teachers they make it better and they shut the gate to keep me safe” (OP 2yrs.)
“If I want to make a firework picture I can get the sequins and the glue over there and the paper in the special holder. I have to choose it, use it, put it away and if the table sticky then I can wipe it like this….” (JE 4yrs.)

Children in Reception say:

(In the outside area) “We are gardeners…if we dig down to the bottom it is white, but the roots won’t like that, so we can get extra soil from the bucket…” (JM 4yrs.)
“If you want a turn on the bike… write your name here (on whiteboard) and turn the giant sand timer (attached to wall) then it’ll be your turn next…” (TP 4 yrs.)

In July 2021, while data was not formally collected and recorded due to disruption of the pandemic, teachers felt 5% of children met ARE in Personal Social and Emotional development in the Nursery
In Reception, teachers reported that 83.6% met ARE in Reception Class

Children in the EY use language to express their needs, extend their play and reflect their knowledge of the stories they have been immersed in

Children in Nursery say:

“The star (was) sad- it missed it’s friends in space” (LM 3 yrs.)
“I’m going to be a doctor when I’m a grown up…I’m good at looking after people and I’m a kind girl.” (ET 3yrs.)

Children in Reception say:

“The skeleton is scary! Look, it’s back to front… he can’t see where he’s going!” (WB 4 yrs.)
“The tigers are stripy with the orange and black. It’s dark when they’re up and they prowl about.” (IS 4yrs.)

In July 2021, teachers felt 93.6% of children met ARE in Communication and Language in in the Nursery.
In Reception, teachers reported that 80.3% of children met ARE in Communication and Language, and 72.1% met ARE in