EYFS Curriculum
We follow The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. This framework is a means of ensuring high standards of early education and care that will reassure parents that their child’s development is being fully supported.
The first stage of the EYFS curriculum begins at Clyst St Mary Primary School when children enter the Reception year. The EYFS underpins all future learning by supporting and fostering the children’s personal, social and emotional wellbeing. It encourages positive attitudes and dispositions towards learning in the children and promotes learning through play.
The Early Years Foundation Stage is divided into the seven areas of learning. There are three prime areas and four specific areas of the EYFS curriculum.
Prime Areas
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Self-Regulation
• Managing Self
• Building Relationships
Physical Development
• Gross Motor Skills
• Fine Motor Skills
Communication and Language
• Listening, Attention and Understanding
• Speaking
Specific areas
Literacy
• Comprehension
• Word Reading
• Writing
Mathematics
• Number
• Numerical Patterns
Understanding the World
• Past and Present
• People, Culture and Communities
• The Natural World
Expressive Arts and Design
• Creating with Materials
• Being Imaginative and Expressive
At Clyst St Mary Primary School these areas of learning are enhanced with child led topics based on children’s interests and understanding of the world : All About Me, Colours, Autumn, People Who Help Us etc. Much emphasis is put on cross-curricular activities so one activity is likely to cover a range of learning.
For example children building with bricks may cooperate together to carry the bricks, the children might negotiate the best place to put them and compare the size of different bricks. Therefore, they may be developing language, mathematical, physical, personal and social competencies through this one activity.
We plan our curriculum by providing a starting interest for children and then weekly planning develops in line with children’s progress and interests. We use observations of children’s learning and achievements to inform planning. Planning is differentiated throughout our Early Years and activities are planned to aid smooth transitions, continuity and progression.
All children in the EYFS at Clyst St Mary Primary School are encouraged to enjoy and share books with each other, individually and with an adult. A meeting is held for all Reception parents at the beginning of the Autumn Term to explain the EYFS in detail and school life in general. The Reception children use follow the Read Write Inc. phonics programme to support the development of reading and writing. Information about this scheme is shared at the parent meeting and by email.