Early Years Foundation Stage
EYFS Curriculum
At Lowerplace Primary School children join us at the beginning of the academic school year, following their fourth birthday. The children are placed into 2 or 3 classes according to numbers and are based in the Early Years unit.
We follow the aims and objectives set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, taking account of the most recent framework. There are 7 areas of learning and development and we regard each as a very important and interconnected part of our curriculum.
Communication and Language play an exceptionally important part, helping children who may have limited English when they first arrive to settle quickly and make rapid progress. We currently, follow the Supersonic Phonic Friends Scheme (which is a nationally accredited scheme) to support children’s early literacy.
The seven areas of learning within the framework are:
· Personal, Social and Emotional Development
· Communication and Language
· Physical Development
· Literacy
· Mathematics
· Understanding the World
· Expressive Arts and Design
For further information, please click on the following links.
EYFS Curriculum Intent
Our Early Years Curriculum has been designed specifically with a huge emphasis given to Communication and Language. This includes helping children acquire English and widening their vocabulary. In addition, much attention is given to their Personal, Social and Emotional Development as a consequence of the pandemic. We have built our curriculum around the Development Matters Early Years document but take specific account of our children’s experiences, their locality and their context. Our outdoor learning curriculum is a very important part of the curriculum as a whole. We recognise that creating the right environment outside the classroom is something we have prioritised over the past few years and are still at the stage of enhancing this provision.
We provide opportunities for our young children to get to know the community they are part of, Rochdale as a town and the wider world. In addition, we provide children with many first-hand experiences and encourage relevant visitors into the classroom to provide children with a window into the wider world.
For further information please click on the following link.
Lowerplace Reception Annual Curriculum Overview.pdf
EYFS Curriculum Implementation
Ensuring every child is seen as unique, enabled to create positive relationships, ensure that they have enabling environments whilst focusing on their learning and developments is
naturally a high priority. As a school, we have heightened our awareness of how children learn and remember by taking account of up to date research. This has enabled us to ensure that our curriculum is delivered providing a balance of child initiated learning and adult intervention.
We are exceptionally aware of the need to prepare our children for the rest of the curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2 and have therefore linked the learning in Early Years to the requirements within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1. The curriculum is set out in such a way that it is clear that links have been created to the school’s wider curriculum in areas such as history, geography and science.
We have prioritised igniting children’s prior knowledge and experiences so that we are maximising opportunities not just to acquire new knowledge but also to remember new information for the long term.
Whilst we see ongoing assessment and observation as a key part of practitioner’s role in Early Years, we still find time to intervene to move the learning on so that children benefit from first hand experiences but at the same time are challenged. Play is seen as a vital part of a child’s overall learning experiences. However, we ensure that careful placement of resources provide the stimuli that makes the play meaningful and purposeful.
EYFS Curriculum Intent
Our main aim at Lowerplace in the Early Years is to support children to reach a good level of development by the end of the Early Years Phase. We are very aware of what a good level of development looks like in each aspect across the seven areas.
The following document sets out what a good level of development looks like across the curriculum.
What a Good Level of Development looks like across the curriculum.pdf
EYFS Assessment
Our EYFS curriculum is designed to recognise children’s prior learning, from both previous settings and their experiences at home. We work in partnership with parents, carers and other settings to provide the best possible start at Lowerplace Primary School, ensuring each individual reaches their full potential.
At Lowerplace, we use 2Simple Software, an online system of recording children’s learning in Reception. We encourage parents to upload ‘wow’ moments of their children’s learning at home e.g. learning to ride a bike. We can then celebrate these achievements with the child at school.