Early Years

 

Aims

Start building schema that will be developed through to Year 11

Ensure a strong foundation for children’s development in the seven areas of learning through the characteristics of effective learning

Children become confident to explore, relate to others, set their own goals and solve problems

Develop language and extended vocabulary

Be ready for Year 1

 

What we do in the Early Years

Vertical threads through the all-through curriculum allow children to make connections and build schema that start in the Early Years and build through to Year 11.

Activities and experiences for children are set out under each of the areas of learning:

  • Communication and Language
  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development
  • Physical development
  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Understanding the world
  • Expressive Arts and Design

 

Children learn by leading their own play and by taking part in play that is guided by adults through:

  • 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.

 

The EYFS curriculum and provision has been designed to expose children to reading, vocabulary and language rich experiences. The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. These include:

  • commenting on what children are interested in or doing,
  • echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added,
  • reading frequently to children,
  • engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems,
  • providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts
  • conversations, story-telling and role play,
  • modelling from their teacher,
  • sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate.

The Early Years Curriculum

Nursery

Areas

Autumn 1

Who am I?

Autumn 2

What happens at night?

Spring 1

Can you make it work?

Spring 2

Where do animals live?

Summer 1

What can we do to help?

Summer 2

How do things change over time?

Book study

Pip and posy and the new friend

The family book

Peace at last

The very busy spider/ the three little pigs

We’re going on a bear hunt

Kind

The very hungry caterpillar

Understanding the world

Science

The Natural World

Senses materials

Seasons

Light

Sounds

Melting ice

Floating and sinking

Plants

Life cycle features

Materials

Spring caterpillars and butterflies

History

Past and Present Geography People, Cultures and Communities

My history

Families

Seasons

Similarities and differences

Christmas in the now and past

Features of the world -North Pole

Own life story

Natural Environment

Birthdays

Birthdays in the past

Occupations Professions /cook

Babies

Occupations -

Exploring Arts and Design

Art

Painting

Shapes and lines

Drawing

Talking about their creations

Mixing colours

Drawing and painting adding details

Adding emotions to their paintings and drawings

Create paintings and drawings using colours and shapes with details

DT

Blocks and construction

Cutting paper

Joining materials

Using materials to cut and join

Creating and adapting using materials

Different methods and materials to create

Music

Nursery rhymes and percussion instruments

Perform songs

Pitch and melody

Exploring instruments

Sing and perform songs and rhymes with music

Sing and perform songs and rhymes with instruments

Create own songs using different emotions and instruments

Physical Development

PE

Fine motor

Gross motor

Large motor skills

Bikes and trikes

Coats and Dressing

Begin to use tools for small and large movements.

Toileting

Mark making tools.

Self-care

Balancing and travelling

Fine motor- pencils and pens

Choosing correct tools and using tripod grips

Fine motor and gross motor

Using skills safely

Computing

Technological toys and IWB, iPads, Computer toys with knobs, pulleys and buttons

Personal Social and Emotion Development

PSHE

Understanding Rules and praise

Confidence in using resources and situations

Understanding emotions

Developing independence

Extending friendships

Playing in groups and understanding rules and emotions

Potential Trips

Cooking

WonderDome

CBSO Musical story time

Animal man

Ducks

Farm

Aldi

 

 

 

 

Reception

Areas

Autumn 1

Who am I?

Autumn 2

What happens at night?

Spring 1

Can you make it work?

Spring 2

Where do animals live?

Summer 1

What can we do to help?

Summer 2

How do things change over time?

Book study

Owl Babies / Elmer

The Rainbow fish

The lost stars
How to catch a star

Superworm

Monkey puzzle

Jack and the beanstalk Jasper’s beanstalk

Understanding the world

Science

The Natural World

Elephants

Features and needs

Freezing and melting

Autumn Changing seasons

Light and shadows/ Space

Winter

Spring

Pets and their needs

Dinosaurs

Summer

Plants seeds lifecycles

History

Past and Present Geography People, Cultures and Communities

How I have changed

Seasons : Autumn

Neil Armstrong

The Globe :The world and Earth

Homes now and in the past

Africa and local community

Kings and queens

Countries round the world
Zoo’s

medicine and vets

Vets – occupation and roles in community

Past dinosaurs

Comparing environment to a forest

Exploring Arts and Design

Art

Colours natural material
Frieda Kahlo, Picasso,Van Gogh and Basquiat self portraits

Using colour for a purpose

Sculpture -clay

Cezanne

Collage

Henri Matisse

Observational drawings

Details in drawings

Henri Matisse and Janet Bell

DT

Creating using blocks

Creating using different materials and methods

Cooking techniques

Junk modelling

Plan and design a pet home

Design – Make – evaluate

To share creations, talk about process and evaluate their work

Music

Songs, movement and music

Perform songs and dance to an audience

African music

Untuned instruments

Perform songs music and dance

Perform songs music dance and drama

Perform songs, rhymes, music

Physical Development

PE

Fine motor

Gross motor

Safety

Moving safely in a space

Using tools

Dressing and undressing

Gross motor using a range of movements with control.

Fine motor

Developing grip and writing letter shapes

Dance

Showing safety and control with fine motor and gross motor tools and movement

Gymnastics

Games

Team games and rules

Forming most letters correctly

Computing

IWB

iPad

Computers mouse

Computers keyboard

Bee-bot

Internet

Personal Social and Emotion Development

PSHE

Following rules and managing own needs

Managing own needs

Developing positive relationships and friendships

Keeping happy and healthy

Emotions

Resilience and perseverance

Targets and follow instructions

Focus and challenge

Potential Trips/ Enhancement

Cooking

Ark Tindal visit

WonderDome

CBSO Musical story time

Animal man

Local heroes

Chicks

Pet day

Lego Land

Aldi

 

 

 

Take a look at what we do in the Early Years!