EYFS1

Welcome to Early years Foundation Stage.

Curriculum Information

At West Meadows we welcome children from the age of 3 to start our school. We offer morning, afternoons and 30 hours places. Visits to our school are warmly encouraged. We are a 30-place Reception class and a single-form entry school.

My name is Miss Jones. I am the Early Years Foundation Stage leader and teach in Nursery on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. I love sharing stories and going on adventures with our learning in Nursery. Every day is another adventure, and we love to have fun.

My name is Miss Jobling. I am the Reception teacher and also the SENDCO. I teach Mondays to Wednesdays, but you find me in school the rest of the week and always popping into the Foundation Stage. I love sharing stories with the children and doing drawing club where I love to see the children’s magical code.

My name is Mrs McCormack, I teach Nursery on a Tuesday and Wednesday. Then I teach in Reception on a Thursday and Friday. I really enjoy playing and learning in both classrooms. I particularly enjoy dough disco in Nursery and PE in Reception

My name is Miss Kilner. I am the teaching assistant in Nursery. I also support the 30 hours at lunchtimes. I really enjoy going on the Wild Walk with the children and completing creative activities.

My name is Mrs Draisey. I am a teaching assistant in Reception. I really enjoy rhymes and singing and arts and craft activities with the children.

My name is Mrs Davis. I am a teaching assistant in Reception. I really enjoy being in the outdoors with the children and creative activities.

Planning

In the Early years Foundation Stage, we used the Statutory Framework for EYFS and Early Years Development Matters to form our observations, assessments, and planning. Both documents can be found below. There is also a great guide called ‘What to expect when’ which details the curriculum for parents and carers. At the end of the EYFS we use the Foundation Stage profile to assess children’s development.

 

Statutory Framework EYFS

Early Years Development Matters

What to expect in the Early Years Foundation Years

EYFS Profile

We develop our planning using a thematic yearly overview. This allows for flexibility to cater for children’s interests, needs and wider world events.

Autumn 1- All about me/Harvest/People who help us (Real life superheroes)

Autumn 2- Celebrations – Diwali/Bonfire night

Spring 1 – Winter- frozen, polar animals, Valentines/ Chinese New Year

Spring 2- Traditional tales / Mothers’ Day

Summer 1- Mini beasts / Fathers’ Day

Summer 2- Pirates/farm/animals

From our Long Term Plan we develop medium term plans which ensure coverage of the curriculum areas and aspects of learning. Within this we emphasis key vocabulary and concepts to be taught. Planning for each term can be found within the planning section.

 

Communication, Language and Literacy development

In the EYFS we have 20 core texts which are explored, read and used frequently within the unit. 10 texts are focused on in Nursery and the other 10 in Reception.

Nursery’s top 10 are:

  1. The Tiger Who Came to Tea
  2. Where’s Spot
  3. Whatever Next!
  4. I Want My Potty
  5. Room on the Broom
  6. Shark in the Park
  7. Meg and Mog
  8. Handa’s Surprise
  9. Each Peach, Pear Plum
  10. Dear Zoo

 

Reception’s top 10 are:

  1. Oi Frog!
  2. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
  3. The Gruffalo
  4. Giraffes Can’t Dance
  5. Supertato
  6. The Fish Who Could Wish
  7. Zim Zam Zoom
  8. You Choose
  9. The Runaway Wok
  10. Lost and Found

 

How We Operate

Nursery

In Nursery we put a big focus on the prime areas of the curriculum, developing key lifelong skills and concepts. We have lots of things happening in Nursery- each day we vote for stories and learn our poetry basket rhyme. Each week we learn a rhyme and number rhyme. Every term we have 5 rhymes to learn by heart. We use dough disco to develop our fine motor skills and also use story dough which takes children on imagination and language rich journeys.

Every day we ask that your child brings a water bottle and a bag with spare clothes for changing into if required. Please label all coats, shoes, clothes and water bottles.

Each Thursday, parents and carers are invited to stay at the start of the session to share stories and change library books with their child.

Each Friday we use our wild walk area. Your child will need wellies for this. This allows lots of opportunities to explore the natural world in hands on, real-life situations.

'For more information about Nursery please click here'.

 

Reception

In Reception we take part in daily phonics sessions using the Read Write Inc scheme alongside the rest of the school.

Our Maths teaching follows the White Rose Maths scheme alongside the rest of the school. We have a number of the week focus and have a math challenge area too.

We have lots of things happening in Reception and really enjoy all the creative activities. Each day we vote for stories and join in the magic of story session. We join in helicopter stories, philosophy for children (P4C), drawing club and poetry basket throughout the week.

Every Tuesday afternoon, we use our wild walk area. This allows lots of opportunities to explore the natural world in hands-on, real-life situations.

Every Thursday we use the hall for our PE session. All children are in school houses and wear their colour t-shirt (the 1st one is provided by school).

Every day we ask that your child brings a water bottle. Please label all coats, shoes, clothes and water bottles. Your child will need wellies in school for Wild Walk day.