EYFS
“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” Joseph Chilton Pearce
Intent
At Godolphin School, our Early Years curriculum is designed to ignite the natural curiosity of our children, helping them to explore, question and discover the world around them. We believe that learning should be an exciting and joyful experience, where children are encouraged to be inquisitive, imaginative and independent thinkers.
We strive to create a nurturing environment where kindness is at the heart of everything we do. Our children are encouraged to develop positive relationships with their peers and adults, learning to value empathy, respect and cooperation. By promoting kindness and emotional well-being, we help our youngest learners build the social and emotional foundations they need for a successful journey ahead.
We understand that children are happiest and most confident when they feel connected to their surroundings and the people around them. We place a strong emphasis on building meaningful connections within our school community, as well as with families. This sense of connection ensures that children feel safe, valued and supported in their learning journey, which in turn fosters a love of learning and a sense of belonging.
Through a carefully crafted blend of play-based learning, purposeful exploration and structured activities, our EYFS curriculum helps children develop holistically, nurturing their physical, cognitive and social development in ways that are both engaging and meaningful. Our intention is to lay the foundation for lifelong learning, where curiosity is celebrated, kindness is practiced and connections are cherished.
Implementation
We follow the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, offering a play-based curriculum underpinned by the characteristics of effective teaching and learning. Through rich play and exploration, children are encouraged to be curious, set their own challenges, and find solutions. Self-initiated and adult-guided activities help our children develop key skills for effective learning.
Each half term, a new theme inspires learning while allowing our children to explore their own interests. Daily routines balance self-initiated play and direct teaching, with focused group work allowing adults to address misconceptions and provide feedback, ensuring high levels of understanding and progress. Learning occurs both indoors and outdoors, with equal importance placed on both environments.
The EYFS sets out seven ‘Areas of Learning and Development’ and together these make up the skills, knowledge and experiences appropriate for children as they grow, learn and develop.
They are:
Prime Areas of learning:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
Specific Areas of learning:
Literacy: Reading is at the heart of our curriculum, with a focus on developing oracy, vocabulary and comprehension through a wide range of carefully chosen books. We link stories, songs and rhymes to every area of our curriculum where possible.
We use the Read Write Inc Phonics Programme for consistency, ensuring children are well-prepared with the skills to become a life-long reader. This is taught daily from the start of the Reception year in small groups so that the children quickly become successful and confident readers. We also use talk through stories to develop vocabulary and comprehension.
Mathematics: Following the guidance of the White Rose Maths Scheme and guided by the EYFS framework, we use a Maths Mastery approach, integrating resources from NCETM. The children all enjoy mathematical learning through hands-on manipulatives, songs and play-based activities.
Children engage with ‘Understanding the World’ and ‘Expressive Art and Design’ through activities that build curiosity and develop skills in science, geography, history and art. We use schemes from Kapow, Access Art and Plymouth Science.
At Godolphin, we acknowledge the four guiding principles that should shape practice:
Unique Child:
Every child is unique and has the potential to be resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
Positive Relationships:
Children flourish with warm, strong & positive partnerships between all staff and parents/carers. This promotes independence across the EYFS curriculum.
Enabling environments:
Children learn and develop well in safe and secure environments where routines are established and where adults respond to their individual needs and passions and help them to build upon their learning over time.
Learning and Development:
Children develop and learn at different rates. We must be aware of children who need greater support than others.
We also consider the three characteristics of effective teaching and learning:
Playing and exploring:
Children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’. Children who actively participate in their own play develop a larger store of information and experiences to draw on which positively supports their learning.
Active learning:
Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties. They are proud of their own achievements. For children to develop into self-regulating, lifelong learners they are required to take ownership, accept challenges, and learn persistence.
Creating and thinking critically:
Children develop their own ideas and make links between these ideas. They think flexibly and rationally, drawing on previous experiences which help them to solve problems and reach conclusions.
Useful links:
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/read-write-inc-phonics-guide/