Intent

In all our  REMAT schools we strive to deliver education at the highest quality for all our pupils. Our vision is to ensure that each and every child, no matter what their background or circumstances, reaches their potential and leaves us ready for the next stage of life. We promote life-long learning, which begins when a child enters our early years provision. 

It is our intent that children who join early years make outstanding progress in learning. We achieve this through an ambitious, balanced curriculum, with the right mix of adult-directed learning and uninterrupted play and exploration. This sequential curriculum ensures children are able to learn and remember more in order to do more.  

The early years curriculum develops happy, curious learners with a thirst for knowledge and a positive attitude to school. 

 

Implementation 

We follow the Early Years framework with the four overarching principles and the characteristics of effective learning guiding our curriculum. 

A unique child: Within our schools, we recognise every child is a competent learner who is resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. We recognise children develop in individual ways and at varying rates. Children’s attitudes to learning are influenced by feedback from others; we use praise and encouragement  to encourage children to develop a positive attitude to lifelong learning. We understand that all children develop at different rates and that sometimes children may need support with additional needs. We ensure that we are equipped with the skills to support early identification and work in partnerships with parents and other professionals to support all children to achieve their full potential. 

Positive relationships: Within our schools, we recognise that children learn to be independent and develop  secure relationships. We aim to develop caring, respectful, professional relationships with children and their families. Our key person system ensures that children settle quickly within our settings and assures families that staff have the best interests of their child at heart.  We work in partnership with our local children’s centre to further develop and enhance our parental support.

Enabling environments:  Within our schools, we recognise that the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s learning and development.  Our rich learning environments offer stimulating resources relevant to children’s development. Through observation and interaction, we continuously assess the children’s interests, stages of development and learning needs. We plan challenging, achievable activities and experiences to extend children’s learning. 

Learning and development:  Within our schools, we recognise that children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates. We view all seven areas of learning as important and interconnected. 

Educational Programmes 

Communication and Language- Development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop and grow their vocabulary;  to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves, and to speak and listen in a range of situations. This is achieved through daily story and song times, interactions with children pitched at the right level, speaking and listening time and an oracy-based approach to the literacy curriculum. Intervention for the lowest 20%  is provided through the Wellcomm programme to ensure that children keep up and not catch up.
 

Physical development- Development involves providing opportunities for children to be active and interactive, and to develop their coordination, control, and movement. In addition to becoming knowledgeable about the attributes that contribute to healthy living. This is achieved through daily access to our outdoor environments; weekly forest school sessions; weekly PE sessions; termly early years wellbeing week; and fine motor enhancements.
 

Personal, social & emotional development- Development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others; form positive relationships, develop respect for others; develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings, understand appropriate behaviour in groups, and have confidence in their own abilities. This is achieved by sharing the behaviour blueprint with children; allowing time for children to explore and play within our environments; implementing the Zones of Regulation, and weekly celebration assemblies.
 

Literacy- Within our schools, we use The Read Write Inc. programme for the teaching of early reading. We begin this programme with our Nursery children in the summer term, this ensures that children are reading to begin the more formal aspect of phonics teaching at the beginning of the Reception year. It is our aim that by the end of the Reception year children are able to read and write short sentences and books using the sounds their taught sounds. We also ensure that children are exposed to high-quality literature through the use of our daily talk through stories sessions and favourite five. This allows children to develop a love of reading and supports vocabulary development.

 

Mathematics- Within our schools, we follow a number sense approach to the teaching of numbers. This allows children to develop a deeper understanding of numbers and allows them to make clear connections throughout the different strands of mathematics.  We deliver daily mathematical sessions to the children and this is followed up with focused link provision activities and enhancements within the environment. 

 

 

Understanding the world- Our topic approach allows children to make sense of their physical world and community.  By giving children opportunities to explore, observe, and find out about people, places, and the environment. Children benefit from our weekly Forest School session which gives them space and time to fully explore the world around them. Within our topic provision map, we plan opportunities for children to develop their cultural capital through local visits to local museums and art galleries.

 

Expressive arts and design- we enable children to explore and play with a wide range of media and material, as well as providing encouragement to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology. 

 

We have further developed our Early Years Curriculum to ensure it is contemporary and prepares children for their next stage in their knowledge journey. We have done this by considering the following areas

Area	Implementation
Covid 19 Catch Up	Small Group Interventions  RWI 1:1’s Number Sense Approach for the teaching of number
Inclusivity and Equality (inc: The Black Lives Matter Movement)	Representation through Favourite Five texts PSHCE Focused Curriculum, awareness days  and Themes  Understanding of the World wider enhancements and celebration days  Teaching of Religious Education British Values  EYs Picture News Resources and displays provided in provision reflect a diverse community
Sustainability	Use of recycling in provision (e.g. junk modelling)  Use of recycling stations around school  Environment days, bird watch, outdoor classroom day.
Preparation for Learning for life	Balanceability  CoEL RWI Visits/Talks from the local community  Establishing emotional literacy through our Zones of Regulation
Cultural Capital	Promotion of British Values and SMSC  Working closely with families to get to know them so experiences and cultures can be shared and celebrated  Half termly family days eg messy maths mornings Visits/Talks from the local community CofE schools links with church Wider enhancements- theatre/ museum - see topic map
Digital Skills (inc, Online Safety)	Focused iPad/technology inputs suitable educational apps and programmes shared with parents Online safety parent workshops

 

 

Impact 

Our curriculum meets the needs of all children and supports them to make good progress from their individual starting points. During their time in our early years, children make exceptional progress, with the majority of children reaching the national expectations which ensure children are ready to make the transition into Year One. 

 

We regularly evaluate how children are learning and progressing using ongoing observational assessments. We supplement this by also measuring impact through learning walks, coaching trackers, analysis of formative and summative data, in addition to staff, pupil and parent voice.