EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM AT OAK GREEN SCHOOL

Why do we teach what we teach? (Our intent)

The Early Years Curriculum (EYFS) provides a foundation for all future love of learning. At Oak Green we provide children the skills to be independent and curious learners. We nurture their inquisitive natures to promote a love of learning from an early age. We provide a challenging and stimulating learning environment for the children, which allows children to be ambitious in their learning and explore the world around them.

Our curriculum is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage, which is for children from birth to 5. There are seven areas of learning and development that shape the educational programme in our Early Years setting, in addition to the Characteristics of Effective Learning, which is the way children learn.

The first three prime areas of learning are: 

• Communication and Language.
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
• Physical Development.

The other areas are:

• Literacy.
• Maths.
• Understanding of the World.
• Expressive Art and Design.

“Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high-quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up”. (DfE 2021)

How do we teach it? (Our implementation)

At Oak Green we aim to:

 Provide high quality teaching and learning through a myriad of interactions. Implementing practitioners who understand diversity of need, through a differentiated, relevant, engaging curriculum within a language rich environment.

Develop and nurture positive relationships with parents, carers and other professionals so that children develop self-confidence, learn to be strong and independent and pupils learn to ‘be the best that we can be’.

Produce and model deep and meaningful interactions through the SHREC approach and encourage different forms of play and communication throughout the day. Communication and language being at the heart of every form of learning for EYFS children.

Providing real-life opportunities for purposeful play and promote the Characteristics of Effective Learning. The EYFS is based upon the four overarching principles taken from the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2021. A Unique Child + Positive Relationships + Enabling Environments = Learning and Development.

Characteristics of Effective Learning:

Playing and Exploring – Engagement

Through play children develop, extend and reinforce their learning experiences. Play and exploration is supported and nurtured by skilled staff and the provision reflects the pupils’ needs. Access to learning experiences and resources is carefully planned and monitored to extend and consolidate play and learning.

Active learning - Motivation

An environment that motivates and takes account of pupils interests, encourages and challenges pupils in active learning is provided. Due to the individualised needs of the children, support is provided to stimulate children to develop these skills.

Creating and thinking critically - Thinking

To develop active learning, and creative and critical thinking a range of methods and resources are used. Staff support pupils in generalising their skills in play situations and making connections between different experiences and environments. Children engage in many different activities and begin to actively think about what they are doing. This helps them to develop an awareness of their own thinking and learning.

Oak Green School ensures that all children learn through play or playful adult and child led activities during Early Years. All of our children are offered the same opportunities regardless of gender, background, ethnicity, faith or level of spoken English.

“Children develop and learn at different rates… The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).” (DfE 2021).

What is the difference that this makes? (Our impact)

By the end of Early Years, our children will have an integral love of learning and become learners who are resilient, questioning, resourceful and self-sufficient. Every child’s experiences will be memorable, meaningful and challenging. They will be independent and proud of all of their achievements. They will have developed meaningful relationships with their peers and feel a sense of belonging within our school community.

Children will have reached their ELGs and have developed their understanding within the seven areas of learning. At Oak Green, assessment is a mixture of formative and summative methods, which recognises the things that the children do well and informs both future planning and areas to develop. Our assessment processes enable us to assess the impact of our curriculum and it is clear that children make progress through their personal learning journeys to enable them to become ready for their next step.

“Ongoing assessment (also known as formative assessment) is an integral part of the learning and development process” (DfE, 2021)