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south kilworth Primary School

South KilworthCofE Primary School

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the period of education from birth to 5 years.  Children join our school in the Reception year (aged 4-5 years).

Our EYFS Intent

  • To work in partnership with parents and carers to encourage independent, happy learners who thrive in school and reach their full potential from their various starting points.
  • To understand and follow children’s interests and provide opportunities throughout our EYFS curriculum to support learning, consolidate and deepen knowledge.
  • To create an indoor and outdoor environment which supports learning.
  • To prepare children to reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Foundation Stage and ensure children make good progress from their starting points.
  • To support transition into KS1.

 

Implementation

We keep families informed and we meet regularly with parents and carers to ensure children’s transition into school and throughout their time in EYFS is happy and allows them to reach their potential with the support needed.  We actively encourage parental communications every morning and at the end of every day.

We encourage active learning to ensure the children are motivated and interested.  We take time to get to know children’s interests and their likes to support learning.  

Areas of the EYFS curriculum are followed and planned for to ensure there is a broad, balanced and progressive learning environment and curriculum.  The children will learn new skills, acquire new knowledge and demonstrate understanding through the seven areas in the EYFS curriculum:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Physical Development

Communication and Language

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the World

Expressive Arts and Design 

These 7 areas are used to plan children’s learning and activities. Planning for this curriculum is designed to be flexible so that a child’s unique needs and interests are supported.

Daily guided activities are set up and planned that cover different areas of the EYFS curriculum and allow children to develop their next steps in learning.  There are also a range of stimulating and engaging activities which the children can access independently and a variety of opportunities for open ended play. 

We ensure activities support the Characteristics of Effective Learning:

• playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’;

• active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements;

• creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things. 

Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.  Our outdoor areas are used all year round and in most weather conditions.

 

Staff in the EYFS make regular observations of the children’s learning, these observations are used to inform future planning and to help bridge gaps in children’s learning.  We regularly assess where the children are using the Development Matters and then ensure our planning, adult interaction and learning environment support children to make progress.

Impact

We strive to ensure that our children’s progress across the EYFS curriculum is good from their varied starting points. We also strive for children to reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception and to be near National expectations.

Evidence in children’s Learning Journeys support all areas of the EYFS curriculum.

Class teachers use observations to make formative assessments which inform future planning and ensure that all children build on their current knowledge and skills at a good pace.

Summative assessment compares children’s attainment to age related expectations using month bands in the Development Matters.  This is tracked to ensure rates of progress are at least good for all children, including vulnerable groups such as those with SEND or who are disadvantaged.

Assessment judgements are moderated both in school and externally.  Experienced staff undertake moderator training through the LA which helps validate school judgements.