Early Years
Foundation Stage – Year R
This is the beginning of your child’s education within a school setting. However, it is by no means the beginning of their education. Your child has been learning since their birth – with you as their teacher. If they attended an early years setting such as a Nursery, child minder or Pre-school then your child would have started to learn from the Early Years Curriculum.
Within the Early Years Curriculum there are seven areas of learning and development. These are all inter-connected and encourage the development of curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. The three prime areas are:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
These three prime areas are strengthened and applied through four specific areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
The children will experience a range of opportunities including:
- Child initiated learning – where the child is learning through play and through their own interests
- Adult initiated learning – Where the child may be learning through play, but an adult has directed the child to that particular area of learning
- Focused teaching - where the child may be learning within a small group with adult support
During this first year in school it is vital that we capture the natural enthusiasm and inquisitiveness of children to ensure that they develop independence and interest in learning. This will give the firm foundation required as they move into the next key stages of the curriculum.
It is at this key time that the children start to learn the basic skills they will need throughout life. These include reading, writing and number skills. Early phonics (letter sounds) is taught through Letters and Sounds. Children are introduced to reading through the Dandelion Reading Scheme as well as Collins Big Cats and the Oxford Reading Tree. They will also be encouraged to discover the excitement that can be found in learning new things. They will be given the opportunity to develop the broader skills of independence in learning that will help them throughout their school career and beyond.
A Woodlea child is:
Our new Early Years Curriculum 2022-2023
We have written our own bespoke Early Years curriculum which is based around our wonderful woodland environment. Click on the links below to see our four aspirations:
Aspiration 2 - make a bread roll
Aspiration 4 - recognise we are a valued member