EYFS

What is the EYFS

EYFS at Churchside Federation

Aims of the Early Years Foundation Stage

To provide a welcoming, happy and caring environment where each child is valued as an individual and feels safe.
To develop independence, self-confidence, self-control, and self-discipline.
To help each child develop social skills including awareness and understanding of peers and adults.
To encourage friendship and understanding towards the needs of others.
To develop good relationships between home, school and the community.
To develop an enquiring mind, a love of learning and enthusiasm towards the next stage of school life.
To enjoy being at school.

Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum

There are 3 prime areas in the EYFS curriculum:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development,
Communication and Language,
Physical Development.

These areas are key in order for the four specific areas to be developed.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

PSED involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities. At Churchside Federation PSED is embedded in day to day school life using PATHS, Circle Time, Philosophy for Children and daily sharing of compliments for individuals. Pupils in Reception classes are involved in whole school development including School Council, House Teams and Collective Worship

Physical Development

Physical Development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement with gross and smaller fine motor control. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food and hygiene. Reception children also join in with the Churchside Daily Mile!

Communication and Language

Communication development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language in their day to day lives; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations. At Churchside language is developed and discussed through the teaching of inference, which helps children learn and understand new words.

The prime areas of the curriculum are supported by four specific areas, which teach children key skills and knowledge for development:

Mathematics

Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems, doubling and halving. The children will explore and learn the names and describe 2D and 3D shapes, as well as continuing and creating patterns. When measuring, children will be encouraged to compare two, three or more different lengths, weights or capacity.

Literacy

Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest. Daily phonics sessions are taught to enable the children to be able to blend sounds for reading and segment sounds for writing.

Understanding of the World

Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive Arts and Design

Expressive arts and design involves 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, design and technology.

Child-Initiated Activities

At Churchside we feel it is the upmost of importance to have a classroom where children are excited to be in. Having an ‘Enabling Environment’ where children are able to explore and be independent in their learning, where they can share and develop their skills, working on their own or alongside others, finding what they need to build and create an understanding of their own.

Adult-Led Activities

Children at Churchside are also set tasks by an adult where they can be supported in order to develop and practice their skills.

Outdoor Learning

Our outdoor area is an extension of the classroom created to reflect the same areas of Learning within the classroom. We are developing, changing and adding to it all of the time, often linking areas and ideas with our current topic. Using the outdoor area encourages skills of negotiation and turn-taking, speaking and listening and scientific enquiry.