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'We aim to inspire today's children to embrace tomorrow's challenges.'
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Gilthill Primary School

Early Years Foundation Stage

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

At Gilthill Primary School, we are committed to the values and principles that underpin the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum and the Every Child Matters framework.

 

As a one-form entry primary school, we welcome a Reception class each September, where children begin their educational journey with us, coming from a variety of preschool settings. Our Reception team have meticulously followed the National EYFS Curriculum to develop a provision that caters to the diverse needs of our children and the wider community.

 

The Early Years Curriculum is thoughtfully designed to offer a broad and balanced education across seven areas of learning. These include the prime areas—Communication and Language, Physical Development, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development—as well as the specific areas of Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design. By emphasising both prime and specific areas, we ensure that our children develop holistically, fostering both their academic and social skills.

 

In planning our curriculum, we have drawn upon the foundational research and guidance set forth in 'Development Matters.' This document serves as a crucial resource, especially the Characteristics of Effective Learning, which play an integral role in shaping our Early Years programme. These characteristics—'Finding out and exploring', 'Being willing to have a go', 'Being involved and concentrating', and 'Being a creative and critical thinker'—are considered meticulously in the design of our learning environment, as well as the opportunities available to our pupils.

 

We recognise the link between mental and physical wellbeing and so ensure our physical curriculum is also robust. Children enjoy balance bikes, wheelchair basketball and Drumba as part of their physical development offer. 

 

Our curriculum is organised around termly learning themes, which will be clearly communicated through parent overviews each term. Additionally, we maintain regular communication via Class Dojo from Mrs Cregan and her team, informing parents of classroom activities and important updates.

 

We strike a harmonious balance between adult-led and child-initiated play-based learning within a safe, well-resourced environment. Our recent OFSTED visit highlighted the effectiveness of our early years provision, noting, “Children get off to a great start in the Reception class. Leaders have created a calm and purposeful atmosphere where children can thrive as learners. Children enjoy carefully planned, adult-led sessions, as well as independent learning in a wonderfully rich learning environment” (OFSTED, 2022).

 

Our learning environment is designed to be rich, stimulating, and purposeful, both indoors and outdoors. We prioritise a blend of child-initiated and adult-led learning, aiming to develop children’s independence and resilience. Our ambitious Early Years Curriculum is tailored to meet the individual needs of all learners, ensuring an inclusive approach for every child.

 

Reading and oracy occupy a central position in our curriculum. From the very first day, we cultivate a culture that celebrates reading for pleasure, imparting to children the joy and wonder that books can bring. This cultural foundation provides access to various worlds and diverse cultures. Phonics education is delivered daily in EYFS and KS1 through the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised scheme, a validated systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We conduct half-termly assessments to guide future teaching and identify any phonic knowledge gaps requiring additional support.

 

In Mathematics, we adhere to the mastery principles outlined in the White Rose Maths scheme. Regular adult-led sessions foster a thorough understanding of various mathematical concepts, enabling children to apply this knowledge in their play through high-quality provisions provided within the classroom.

At Gilthill, we understand that the early years are foundational to a child’s future success, and we are dedicated to providing an enriching, supportive, and engaging environment where every child can succeed and flourish.

Little Wandle Information for Parents

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