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EYFS Information

INTRODUCTION

Our EYFS Curriculum has been designed to reflect our children’s interests, the seasons of the year, nature, culture and environments around our school. It aims to teach the children how their environment compares to other places, cultures and nature in other parts of the world. It is therefore unique to East Dene Primary school. Each topic planned is included in the curriculum for very specific reasons and we want to ensure that all children leaving the EYFS are ready to start our KS1 curriculum. Each topic does not last a specific amount of time but is based on the children’s learning at the time, and so a topic can run from anything between two and seven weeks. All the topics have resources and activities ready to use in the continuous provision. Topics are introduced with a good quality storybook or an age appropriate non – fiction text. Using books in this way teaches children that books and reading form the basis of all learning.

Here is a guide for parents and carers of children from birth to five years old .It will help you find out more about your child’s learning and development in the EYFS.

https://foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf

Personal Social and Emotional Development

We strive to enable children to be safe, happy, confident individuals. We also encourage self-regulation as much as possible and introduce rules and boundaries through modelling good behaviour and reflection time.

Physical Development

Our outdoor environment and grounds is used us to make the most of the outdoors and we encourage children to learn outside as much as possible. Our intention is that children learn how to take measured risks and they are given access to our whole playground and outdoor area. We encourage children to learn about nature and look after their environment through high quality resources.  There is a well-established and comprehensive PE curriculum, which includes sessions from a qualified coach. Children are taught about the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating, and are encouraged to join in with whole-school sports initiatives such as intra-school competitions, and dough gym, wake up and move, every morning.

Communication and Language

At East Dene Primary language and communication underpins all learning. Children are encouraged to listen and communicate appropriately. We enhance the classroom and outdoor area to reflect the topic learnt. Each topic encompasses enhancements to the learning environment that include role-play areas, small-world play and story-making tables to encourage the children to act out scenarios and discuss concepts being learnt. This helps children learn and use new vocabulary introduced through the topics. Children are encouraged to ask questions and contribute to whole-class and group discussion whenever possible. Children who need support to communicate are supported within the provision and learning interventions are used when children are below the age-appropriate skills. We display new vocabulary daily through Victor Vocab displays which is then included in direct lesson planning.

Reading

We teach children to read and develop a love of books as soon as they arrive at East dene Primary School, and books are used to teach topics and to enhance our whole curriculum.

We follow a systematic approach to phonics teaching based on Read Write Inc. Phonics lessons are taught daily. In addition to daily phonics, children take part in guided reading daily in small groups. They read reading books are based around the phonics phase being taught. A short phonics task and reading book is taken home weekly. Children are also encouraged to take home age-appropriate picture books from the class books, these are changed each half-term to reflect the different seasons, topics taught and children’s interests. Teachers read stories to children from high quality age-appropriate texts at every available opportunity. These books are then used to enhance the learning environment and reading area. Children who need support with phonics are encouraged each morning to access a phonics activity is set up  where individual children’s next steps are addressed. This is facilitated with a member of staff who delivers a short session each day.

Writing

We introduce mark making activities straight away, and teach handwriting alongside the Read Write Inc phonics programme. Each child has a RWI book where they are taught a pre-cursive style. Guided writing activities are also taught in groups. These include writing topic words, lists, captions and short narratives.  Guided writing activities are based on the topic being taught and the class book is used as a basis for writing. Children are also encouraged to write in the provision in the role-play area, writing area, maths area, and outdoors. The children are provided with a range of pencils, pens, and other media to encourage them to write as much as possible. Our aim is to inspire children to write independently after they have been introduced to writing skills in their guided writing sessions.

 

Mathematics

Children are taught maths through guided group work and whole-class activities. We also use maths enhancement activities in the different areas in the classroom, including the outdoors. The main aim of the maths curriculum is to teach children to be able to subitise numbers to ten automatically as soon as possible. We begin by concentrating on one number a week , with the aim that children have a better understanding of one digit numbers before they move on to place value, calculation and arithmetic later in the year. Children also learn shape, space and measure skills and knowledge through guided work and as activities in the enhanced provision. The first term’s Magnificent Me topic introduces all the basic shapes and we feel introduces mathematical concepts to the children from the very start of their learning with us. Children who need extra help with mathematics are targeted in the provision by key members of staff. Each morning a maths activity is set up in continuous provision with certain children’s next steps in mind. Those children who need extra teaching are encouraged to the activity with a member of staff who facilitates a short teaching session.

We work hard to ensure the children are ready for the National Curriculum by the end of the Reception year.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

We strive to give children knowledge about the immediate world around them and the rest of the world. Science investigations and observations are a continuous part of our curriculum, children are encouraged to question and observe the world around them. Geography is taught, including maps and countries of the world, through our Celebrations and Wider World topics. We take a trip every year to the seaside, farm and the local park to look at a contrasting environments, we introduce the children to history learning through our Magnificent Me  topic. For example, we look at old and new buildings and how buildings have changed over time. We teach RE throughout the year based on celebrations that include all our children’s beliefs, Eid, The Diwali story, The Christmas story and The Easter Story so that children are introduced to different belief systems.

Expressive Arts and Design

We want children to sing songs, make music, dance and perform. We have regular musical events.Children are given time to play imaginative games and make up stories, songs and dances.

In art, the children are taught how to safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. We study artists and experience workshops by real artists. Child-initiated art activities are encouraged during continuous provision as well as art and crafts being taught by the staff. We endeavour that children leave Reception with good art skills, as well as encouraging them to use their own ideas and techniques in their art and design work.

 

Working Together

Starting school is an exciting step! At East Dene we aim to help each child to look forward to, and settle quickly into a new school routine. We develop a good partnership between home and school in the very early days – one that we hope will continue throughout your child’s learning journey through our school. We are always happy to see you either before 9.00 am or after 3.15 pm for an informal chat, please come in!

Settling In

We want your child to settle in easily and to feel part of the school family – free from worry in their new surroundings. The following suggestions may help with this settling in period and enable your child to feel comfortable, safe and happy at school.

Please encourage him/her to:

  • Play and share with other children
  • Go to the toilet independently
  • Hang up his/her own coat
  • Dress and undress independently
  • Use a tissue or handkerchief
  • Eat with a knife and fork
  • Tidy up toys and games.

To help your child’s school day run smoothly

  • Please use the school book bag to carry home reading books.
  • Please send reading book and diary into school every day
  • Please label all school uniform, including PE kit and make sure your child brings their PE bag to school at the start of each week.
  • Please arrive on time; doors open for morning jobs at 8.40am
  • Try to always be punctual at the end of the day too. Children worry if you are late

A huge welcome to the new EYFS starters 2022-2023!

We are so pleased to hear that you have chosen our school and that your child will be joining us this year. We know that this is a very exciting time for children and parents alike and we very much look forward to meeting you all.

Next year the EYFS F2 class teachers will be:

Class FSR; Miss Rycroft

Class F2AG; Miss Gordon (3 days), and Miss Abrahams (4 days).

Support staff Miss Jobling and Miss Wright

Next year the EYFS F1 class teachers will be:

Class F1M; Mrs McMichael

Support staff Miss Wright

All are very experienced EYFS teachers and are skilled in ensuring an excellent transition into school.

To assist with your child transitioning into our school, we have sent links to all new families to enable you to access our School Dojo account, this will allow you and your children to become more familiar with our teachers and our school routines.

If you do have any questions, please feel free to make contact using the email address enquiries@eastdene.org. Or contact your child’s class teacher via the Dojo link you have received

Take care and stay safe

Best wishes

Mrs L Ridge  Headteacher & The EYFS Team

Welcome Videos

Where to go

 

Tour of the school

 

Upcoming Trips and Events Foundation Stage 2022/2023

Autumn:

  • Autumnal Walk to Clifton Park
  • Parents Math fun morning
  • Parents Phonics fun morning

Paddington’s Postcards!

Exciting news – EYFS are signed up to the Paddington’s postcard scheme by UNICEF 2021/22. This means the children in EYFS will receive a postcard and information about the countries Paddington visits around the world each month.
Throughout the year within EYFS we will be looking at our local area and comparing its similarities and differences to the places Paddington visits.
Specific area of learning links:
  • People, Cultures  and communities
  • The Natural World

 

Weekly morning sessions to share with your child.

All parents and carers are welcome to join us at our weekly morning drop-in sessions. These sessions are held from 8.45am – 9.10am.

  • ‘Name Writing’ sessions every Monday
  • ‘Early bird reading’ sessions every Tuesday
  • ‘Name writing’ sessions every Wednesday
  • ‘Early bird reading’ sessions every Thursday
  • ‘Name writing’ sessions every Friday

 

Below you can find documents for Foundation Stage 1 & 2 that list books we recommend your children read.

Foundation Stage 1 Recommended Reads

Foundation Stage 2 Recommended Reads

Download PDF Version

Top tips for reading!

Each half term we will send home and upload a newsletter with some top tips for helping your child with reading at home. This term is all about Fred talk!

Fred Talk

One of the first steps when learning to read is oral blending.  This is sounding a word out (Fred talk) and then being able to blend the sounds to say the whole word.  Fred is a frog that we use in our phonics lessons at school and he can only sound words out.  You could practise sounding words out when you’re out and about and at home.  This will help your child with hearing the sounds in words which is a really important skill in early reading.  Here are some examples of how you can practise Fred talk at home. Have fun!

Take a look on our school website under ‘Read, Write, Inc’ for a list of all sounds.