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EYFS Overview
The EYFS Curriculum
At Loxford, we deliver the Early Years Curriculum in conjunction with the latest guidelines. This curriculum establishes benchmarks for your child's learning, development, and care from birth to 5 years old. We believe in incorporating play as a means of learning, alongside a series of more structured lessons. Our play-based curriculum has been specifically designed to cater to the needs of our youngest learners, with a focus on the individual child at the core. It takes a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning, drawing from educational programs, the Prime Areas and the Specific Areas, skill and knowledge progression, and aligning with children's interests. Our curriculum is built upon the guidelines outlined in the New Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Learning in the Nursery provides foundations for the primary learning and it is more play-based. Reception takes early learning onto a deeper level to ensure that the skills are developed further and the knowledge is embedded and extended. Lessons in Reception are more structured and include daily phonics, literacy and maths lessons.
WHAT DOES THE CURRICULUM LOOK LIKE?
PRIME AREAS
The three main parts of learning encompass Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, and Physical Development. These prime areas hold significant importance as they establish the groundwork for children's achievements in all other areas of learning and in life.
PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Within this area of learning, children cultivate self-assurance, self-respect, and self-discipline. They acquire knowledge on forming relationships and expressing their emotions. Children grasp the concepts of sharing, cooperation, and conflict resolution. They start comprehending rules while also fostering a sense of accountability and respect, enhancing their independence skills. Additionally, they gain insight into the significance of hygiene, personal care, and oral health.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
Children in this area engage in discussions about their emotions, likes and dislikes. They are encouraged to communicate through imaginative play, as well as enjoy narratives, melodies, verses, and rhymes. Through language, children articulate past and current occurrences, and organise events in a logical order. They will develop the ability to openly and confidently express their ideas, while also attentively following directions, actively listening to others, and posing engaging and relevant inquiries.
PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
In this area, children cultivate self-assurance, self-worth, and self-control abilities. They acquire knowledge about how to articulate their emotions. Children grasp the concepts of cooperation, patience, and communication with peers. They initiate comprehension of regulation while also fostering a sense of accountability enhancing their autonomy skills. Furthermore, they gain insight into the significance of cleanliness, personal care, and dental hygiene.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
This area sees children playing and learning inside and outside. They become good at moving, climbing, controlling, catching, throwing and coordinating with more and more skill. They will get opportunities to chase, race, jump, balance and play with a partner and in teams. Children will find out about keeping healthy as well as learning to dress and undress themselves. They will use different types of tools for drawing, painting, cutting and sticking to develop fine motor skills.
SPECIFIC AREAS
This part of the curriculum is divided into four sections, literacy, and mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design. The specific areas provide the range of experiences and opportunities for children to broaden their knowledge and skills.
LITERACY
Children in this area of learning engage in the handling and exchanging of books among themselves. They will be exposed to letters and words in written form, as well as learn the phonetic sounds of the alphabet during sessions and activities focused on speaking and listening. Through this process, they will gradually recognise the distinct sounds that form a word, enabling them to comprehend written text, write captions, and construct sentences.
MATHS
In this particular area, the children learn to categorise and assemble various items and materials, providing explanations for their actions. They will compare height, weight, size, and texture. The children will initiate the use of positional language to indicate the location of objects and arrange them accordingly. Additionally, they will have opportunities to construct models using shapes and engage in discussions about their appearance and will observe and create patterns using these shapes. The children will also develop an awareness of numbers in their surroundings, commencing with counting, combining objects, and subtracting them. Furthermore, they will begin to sequence events and explore methods for solving practical problems.
EXPRESSIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
In this area, children will express their own thoughts, ideas and feelings through drawing, painting and model making. They will have the chance to design and make their own creations using man-made and natural materials. They will explore colour, shape and texture using their senses. Children will be able to listen to and make their own music, dance, sing songs and take part in imaginative role play with others.
UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
In this particular area, the children are provided with opportunities to delve into and examine the environment surrounding them. They will have the ability to observe and discuss various objects, materials, living organisms, and plant life, while paying attention to intricate details, similarities, and differences. They will engage in experiments and make observations and record their observations through drawing, utilising computers, and cameras. Gradually, they will gain knowledge about diversity in the community.
TRACKING AND ASSESSMENT
Teachers in both Nursery and Reception use the Development Matters 2021 Guidance to monitor and support children's progress throughout their learning in the EYFS. To view this document, click on the below links:
At the end of the Reception year, children will be assessed according to the Early Years Foundation stage profile. To view this document, click on the below link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook
