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EYFS

The EYFS Curriculum Intent

 

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum at Birchington CE Primary is made up of a balance of child-initiated activities (TEACH Time) and teacher-directed activities (TD). This balance changes throughout the year to best meet the needs of the particular cohort. We follow a time-table but this is fluid and merely provides an element of structure and routine to each day. We gather information from home visits, pre-school settings and our own initial assessments to determine a starting point for each child at the start of the year. We then use Early Years Outcomes throughout the year to monitor progress and use an on-line recording system called Tapestry to record evidence of the learning journey teach child has had throughout the year. At the end of the Reception year children’s progress is shared with parents through a summary based on the statutory EYFS profile consisting of the 17 Early Learning Goals and the three Characteristics of Effective Learning. Throughout the year we monitor via observations the child’s ability to;
• playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’;
• active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements; and
• creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

 

EYFS Curriculum Implementation

 

Our Curriculum is implemented through:


• Flexible timetabling
• Utilising the Characteristics of Effective Learning
• Opportunities based on the Early Years Outcomes
• Assessment tools based on the Early Learning Goals

 

 

EYFS Curriculum Impact

 

By reflecting on our curriculum and timetable throughout the year and adjusting the balance of child-initiated opportunities and teacher directed activities accordingly we ensure we children’s knowledge and memory are increasingly strong. Children are able to show this through their ability to be deeply engage in their work and play and by sustaining high levels of concentration. Our curriculum also provides opportunities for children to consistently develop vocabulary that enables them to communicate effectively. They speak with increasing confidence and fluency, which means that they secure strong foundations for future learning, especially in preparation for them to become fluent readers. Our reflective and fluid timetabling in addition to utilising the Early Years Outcomes and monitoring the characteristics of each child’s effective learning provides us with the best opportunity to ensure we deliver a curriculum that is sufficiently challenging for the children we serve, particularly the way we sequence learning, delving deeper to avoid superficial learning and plan for next steps. Our use of Early Years Pupil Premium where applicable, ensures we are able to provide additional support and experiences to the most disadvantaged children in our care. We ensure that the curriculum we use enhances the experiences and opportunities available to children, particularly the most disadvantaged.
 

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