EYFS

At Houndsfield Primary School we understand the importance of learning through play. Click here to find out about Saplings Nursery for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

In Saplings Nursery and Reception, your child will follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum. This sets the standards for the learning, development and care of your child. The areas of learning have been organised into three prime areas of learning and four specific areas of learning. These are as follows:

Prime Areas of Learning

Communication and Language
Giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment, to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

Physical Development
Providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children learn and understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy choices in relation to food.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others; to self-regulate their behaviour; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings so that they work towards leading healthy and happy lives. Children learn to understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.

Specific Areas of Learning

Literacy
We want to encourage children to develop a love of reading. Children listen to stories and poems read to them as well as enjoy rhymes and songs together. They develop their language by using and understanding introduced vocabulary.

Children are encouraged to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children are given access to a wide range of reading materials such as familiar signs and logos, books and poems based on their interests.

Mathematics
Providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, developing a deeper awareness of number through numerical patterns. They work on calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and being able to develop their spatial reasoning skills including shape, space and measures.

Understanding the World
Involves children learning about their physical world and their local community through exploring, observing, visiting and finding out about people, places and technology.

Expressive Arts and Design
Enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design and technology.

The Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning

We provide many opportunities for children to learn in the Early Years setting through teacher’s planning children’s activities and the experiences provided.  We always take into account the children’s interests and the ways that children learn and reflect these in their practice.

The three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are:

• Playing and exploring – children have the opportunity to investigate and experience a range of activities and are encouraged to ‘have a go’
• Active learning – children concentrate and develop resilience when they encounter difficulties, and enjoy their achievements
• Creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for completing tasks

Learning through play

Through our enabling indoor and outdoor environments we promote exploration in all areas of learning. Children can access resources by themselves and follow their own interests, extending their own learning independently and also by quality adult interactions. Your child will play and learn through a free-flow day of both independent experiences and adult-led focuses for English, Maths, Read Write Inc (phonics) plus an additional focus area such as Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

Supporting Your Child at Home

In Nursery, children are sent home a reading for pleasure storybook. This is for you to share with your child to develop a love a of reading. Oral story telling is another way that you can support your child at home.

In Reception, children are sent home a reading for pleasure storybook (chosen by each child), as well as a Read Write Inc book that your child will read to you and consolidate their phonics learning. Your child will also be sent home a piece of English or maths work linked to their learning throughout the week.

The yearly overviews give a flavour of the types of activities and stories your child will participate in:

EYFS curriculum overview

For more information on joining our school and admissions, click here.