In the EYFS at Highlands we follow the recently updated ‘Development Matters’ curriculum guidance, which supports the ‘Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage’.
What To Expect
Click below to find out more about ‘Development Matters’
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/development-matters
Click below to find out more about the ‘Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage’
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework
Our curriculum is broken down into three ‘prime’ and four ‘specific’ areas of learning, and also takes into account the ‘characteristics of effective learning’. We carefully plan whole class activities, group work and resource provision based around these areas to support the progress of all children.
- Prime areas
- Communication and Language
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Specific areas
- Literacy
- Maths
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
During their time in our EYFS children are supported to work towards the ‘Early Learning Goals’ (ELGs), which are the levels of development they should be expected to have attained by the end of Reception.
The Characteristics of Effective Learning describe behaviours children use in order to learn.
To learn well, children must approach opportunities with curiosity, energy and enthusiasm. Effective learning must be meaningful to a child, so that they are able to use what they have learned and apply it in new situations. These abilities and attitudes of strong learners will support them to learn well and make good progress in all the Areas of Learning and Development.
Active Learning
Creating and Thinking Critically
Playing and Exploring
The ‘prime’ areas lay the foundation to all later learning, therefore it is vital that we prioritise supporting children’s development in these areas.
Communication and Language
These are fundamental skills which, if nurtured well in the early years, can set all children up to be successful learners. By regularly having reciprocal conversations with your child, reading with them every day and commenting on the world around you, you will be supporting their communication and language development.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
In their early years children need lots of opportunities to develop their social skills such as building relationships, taking turns, managing their own feelings and adapting to new situations. Independence is also really important for future learning, so encouraging your child to use the toilet, dress and eat by themselves has great benefits. By providing these types of opportunities you will support your child’s personal, social and emotional development.
Physical Development
Children also need to develop certain physical skills in their early years, to ensure they are successful learners in later life. They need a wide range of opportunities to practise their gross motor (large movement) and fine motor (small movement) skills, such as by throwing and catching, climbing, using a knife and fork or snipping with scissors. by providing these opportunities you will support the development of their physical skills.
While the ‘prime’ areas of learning are most important, we also support children’s development of the ‘specific’ areas of learning in their early years.
Literacy
During their time in the early years children need lots of opportunities to practise the skills required to read and write; the development of communication and language as well as physical skills are fundamental. Such opportunities should include reading together regularly, looking at print in books and the environment, encouraging children to have a go at writing letters (such as those in their name) and listening to sounds in words (for example cat = c-a-t). At Highlands we follow teach using the GES Simply Letters and Sounds phonics scheme.
Maths
Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks for later learning. Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers. By providing frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding – such as by using manipulatives, including small pebbles and tens frames for organising counting – children will develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of maths is built.
Understanding the World
Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community. The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters. In addition, listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world.
Expressive Arts and Design
The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. It is important that children have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear and participate in is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and ability to communicate through the arts.
