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 |
|
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 |
medicine and vets
Vets – occupation and roles in community |
Past dinosaurs
Comparing environment to a forest |
|
Exploring Arts and Design |
Art
|
Colours natural material |
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 |