EYFs at BIRDS BUSH
In Early Years, we endeavour to ensure that ‘Children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe’ as stated in the Statutory Framework for EYFS. We aim to support children in their learning to ensure their ‘school readiness’ and provide them with opportunities to develop a broad range of knowledge and skills that ensure a secure foundation for good progress through school and in life.
We recognise that each child is unique and this is reflected in the opportunities that we provide to build their confidence and resilience to become self-assured, independent learners.
Children bring with them a diverse range of experiences and so learn and develop in a variety of ways and at different rates. Therefore, staff across our early years strive to provide stimulating and engaging learning opportunities, which consider their interests and meet all their needs.
Our early years curriculum provides a broad range of interesting, challenging experiences allowing our children to make progress towards the Early Learning Goals and meet their full potential. This is reflected in our enabling environment, where staff use their continuous assessments of the children to tailor a learning environment that is highly stimulating to provide a rich variety of imaginative experiences.
We have a successful track record of building positive, caring and working relationships with parents. We understand and value the contribution and role that the parents play in their children’s development. We do this through induction meetings for new children starting within our setting, open door policy where parents can talk to the Early Years staff with any questions they may have and inviting parents in for stay and play or workshops. We also invite parents to transition sessions to support the children in progressing the next stage of their education.
We value the impact of effective transition for all our children. We aim to ensure all of our children feel safe, secure and happy as they transition into their next stage of education. We do this through effectively planned transition processes that provide opportunity for our children to explore their new environment and build positive relationships with the key members of staff.
What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?
The Foundation Stage for children covers seven areas of learning – all areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Building Relationships
- Managing Self
- Self-regulation
Communication and Language
- Listening, Attention and Understanding
- Speaking
Physical Development
- Gross Motor Skill
- Fine Motor Skills
These three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.
They lay the foundations for children’s success in all other areas of learning and of life.
Literacy
- Comprehension
- Word reading
- Writing
Mathematics
- Number
- Numerical Patterns
Knowledge of the World
- Past and Present
- People, culture and Communities
- The Natural World
Expressive Art and Design
- Creating with Materials
- Being Imaginative and Expressive
The Foundation Stage for children covers seven areas of learning – all areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.
Supporting your child's reading
At Bird’s Bush Primary School, our children’s reading journey commences through Read, Write Inc Phonics.
We start this journey in Nursery, where children start to explore intial sounds. In Reception, children start the RWI programme.
Videos for Parents
Understanding Phonics
How to say the sounds
What is sound blending?
Handwriting
Handwriting is a physical activity that involves movement and recognition skills that need to be learnt and become automatic. To achieve this, Bird’s Bush Primary has chosen the Kinetic Letters handwriting programme.
Handwriting is important to educating our pupils because pupils who do not learn to read and write fluently and confidently are, in every sense, disenfranchised. The mastery of automaticity in handwriting is therefore one of the key priorities of the school.
Click here to see some videos about supporting your child’s handwriting.
Characteristics of Effective Learning
The Characteristics of Effective Learning describe behaviours children use in order to learn. To learn well, children must approach opportunities with curiosity, energy and enthusiasm. Effective learning must be meaningful to a child, so that they are able to use what they have learned and apply it in new situations. These abilities and attitudes of strong learners will support them to learn well and make good progress in all the Areas of Learning and Development.
Playing and Exploring (engagement)
- Finding out and exploring
- Playing with what they know
- Being willing to have ago
Creating and Thinking Critically (thinking)
- Having their own ideas
- Choosing ways to do things
- Making links
Active Learning (motivation)
- Being Involved and Concentrating
- Keep on trying
- Enjoy achieving what they set out to do
Curriculum Overview
Click on the link below to see our curriculum overview.