Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the period of education from birth to 5 years. In our school we have 1 Nursery Class and two Reception Classes. Berger Primary School has embraced the EYFS 2021 Curriculum and Development Matters. Early Learning Goals within the Development Matters set the expectations of what children should be able to do at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. 

Our EYFS Intent  

We want our children to become confident and have a sense of pride in themselves. We will foster curiosity and respect for others in their immediate environment, school and community.  We want to develop partnerships with families and engagement in their child’s learning journey. This way they can work alongside us in order to help their children reach their full potential in a happy, secure way.  We will support our children to develop a sense of citizenship in line with British Values.

We will provide a rich curriculum, which enables children to develop their curiosity and problem solving. These will form the building blocks for a love of lifelong learning. We will develop our children to become confident communicators. We want them to develop an enriched vocabulary and a love for reading and maths.

 We want to connect to and follow children’s interests, so that this may help them become more inquisitive and generate a thirst for knowledge.  Through developing learning behaviours (such as playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically), we want children to be autonomous with their own learning.  We want them to plan, implement, consolidate and deepen knowledge. At the same time, we want to make sure that children meet their next step, no matter where they start from. 

We will create an engaging and stimulating environment, both outdoors and indoors, which allows and challenges learning. It will stimulate the children physically and mentally. We believe that active play supports the health and wellbeing of our children, whilst encouraging them to manage appropriate risk and develop resilience.

We want them to become expressive and to foster their ability to think, feel, see and understand. We want to give them many chances to create, try and design.  We want them to imagine, puzzle, wonder, explore, befriend and share.  This will all prepare children to reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Foundation Stage and ensure children make at least good progress from their starting points.

Implementation

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum 2020 includes the statutory areas of learning as well as the educational programmes. We also plan for other experiences and opportunities which best meet the developmental needs of the children in our school with value added to their culture capital and the development of a range of transferable skills. Because Berger is a Performing Arts School, this includes being taught music, art, dance and PE by experienced professionals. 

 The curriculum and early years practice have been shaped with respect to the four overarching principles:

  • every child is unique, constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured

  • children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships

  • children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers

  • children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.

We have a curriculum based upon ‘wow!’ experiences and topics, which engage the children. We encourage active learning to ensure the children are motivated and interested. We take time to get to know children’s interests and their ‘likes’ to support learning whilst introducing them to new possible interests. 

 All areas of the EYFS curriculum are followed and planned for; ensuring there is a broad, balanced and progressive learning environment and curriculum. The children will learn new skills, acquire new knowledge and demonstrate understanding through the seven areas in the EYFS curriculum:

The Prime Areas: 

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development

  • Physical Development

  • Communication and Language

The Specific Areas:

  • Literacy

  • Mathematics

  • Understanding if the World

  • Expressive Arts and Design

We plan learning activities for these 7 areas. Planning for this curriculum is designed to be flexible so that a child’s unique needs and interests are supported. 

The teaching of these areas of learning is practical and playful with support and challenge from adults in class sessions, small group sessions and when working with individuals. There is a combination of adult-led, teacher taught sessions as well as a wealth of stimulating continuous provision opportunities. Daily guided activities are set up and planned that cover different areas of the EYFS curriculum and allow children to develop their next steps in learning. Areas of need and next steps are identified for all children to ensure good progress is made. In planning and guiding children’s activities we acknowledge the different ways that children learn and reflect these in our practice.

We ensure activities support the Characteristics of Effective Learning to ensure learning takes place. These are:-

  • 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;

  • Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. The outdoor environment and local community are considered an opportunity for learning for all children. We are lucky enough to be able to take every year group to the Hackney Marshes for Forest school twice per half term. The immediate school grounds have been developed so that they can enrich different curriculum areas in ways not afforded indoors.  Outdoor learning is actively promoted and planned for. Our outdoor areas are used all year round and in most weather conditions. 

Staff in the EYFS make regular informal observations of the children’s learning, and collaborate together to ensure their next steps are met. The staff use a variety of methods to stimulate professional discussion about the children's learning journey. We regularly assess where the children are using Target Tracker and then ensure our planning, adult interaction and learning environment support children to reach their next steps. 

We keep parents and carers informed and we contact them regularly to ensure children’s transition into school and through the EYFS is happy and allows them to reach their potential with the support needed. This includes inviting them in for reading in the morning, workshops, Class Dojo and parent teacher meetings.

Keyworkers will hold these meetings with parents, this does not always mean the class teacher. 

 Staff support transition into Key Stage 1. Preparing children for Year 1 with visits to their new class, meeting the teacher and ensuring the environments are similar at the end of Reception and the start of Year 1.

 Impact 

We anticipate that our curriculum will ensure that children are equipped with skill sets and prepared for the future.  During their time in EYFS they are able to explore, create and become the very best of themselves. Their individuality is valued. Every child has every opportunity to achieve and excel, based upon their own personal strengths, interest and core values whilst learning in EYFS, and in the future.

Our Children will; 

  • Develop a sense of self-awareness and become confident in their own abilities. They will be able to trust in their abilities and that their teachers care about them and about their learning.

  • Be strong and confident communicators. They will be able to express themselves as well as listen respectively to the views of others.

  • Demonstrate self-regulation, emotional resilience and the ability to persevere when they encounter challenges whilst managing risks.

  • Take pride in their achievements and in their peer’s achievements. They will be encouraged to have the desire to fulfil their potential.

  • Be kind, respectful and honest, demonstrating inclusive attitudes and have a sense of their role in wider society.