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EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM

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OUR VISION

At the Gipsy Hill Federation, we strongly advocate play and concrete learning throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage and beyond. Children learn through first-hand experiences, books, explorative resources and rich conversation. Children’s physical and mental well-being is at the heart of our curriculum and planning. We aim for our children to be: 

Active Learners 

Resourceful 

Reflective 

Resilient 

Reciprocal 

Creative

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These values and intentions underpin all of our provision across the seven areas of learning (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Art and Design). They support children to become lifelong, confident and enthusiastic learners and prepare them for their journey into Key Stage 1 and beyond.

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Partnerships with parents and carers are key to this. We recognise that you are your child’s first and most enduring educator, and we know that children learn and develop well when there is a strong partnership between staff and parents/ carers. We therefore aim for the school and parents/ carers to work closely together, welcoming and listening to all families. 

WHY WE TEACH THROUGH PLAY?

We teach through play because we know that carefully organised play develops skills which are crucial throughout life: perseverance, concentration, problem solving, the processing of challenges or trauma, positive relationships, self-regulation, and much more. In particular, research shows us that child-initiated activities provide rich opportunities for children to develop self-regulation and metacognition (Robson, 2015) which can help children make up to seven months additional progress (The Education Endowment Fund). Freely chosen play activities also often provide the best opportunities for adults to help children achieve their next steps by giving them rich opportunities to extend children’s thinking (Sylva et al, 2010). 

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WHAT CHILDREN LEARN IN EYFS?

In the EYFS, children’s learning is based around a different topic each term. What we teach in the topic and how is carefully planned around what children already know, their interest and their next steps.

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Curriculum Overview

Progression of skills in Nursery

Progression of skills in Reception

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ADDITONAL PE IN EYFS

In addition to the opportunities provided in the topic based curriculum for Physical Development, EYFS will have weekly PE lessons starting in Spring term. During these sessions they will follow the Moving Matters modules ‘EYFS Stories 1’ and EYFS Stories 2’. The lessons use traditional and well known stories such as ‘Billy Goat’s Gruff’ and ‘Room on a Broom’ to meet the following objectives: 

  • Move safely in a confined space  

  • Practice working cooperatively with others 

  • Explore and improve balance  

  • Move safely in space changing speed & direction 

  • Explore moving in different ways  

  • Practice dynamic balances 

  • Improve co-ordination with equipment  

  • Practice rolling a ball to a target 

  • Enjoy safe and enthusiastic dodging games  

  • Move with control and co-ordination 

  • Introduce fundamental movement skills (basic movements patterns – coordination of body and coordination with equipment). 

  • Use different movements when travelling  

  • Use imagination to create new movements 

  • Develop spatial awareness and different ways of moving. 

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ADDITIONAL MUSIC IN EYFS

Music in EYFS is taught by our music specialist. Lessons focus on a range of musicianship skills that prepare children for their musical learning in KS1 and KS2.

 

Within lessons, children use a variety of song and rhyme repertoire along with audio recordings in a structured sequence to meet musical objectives.

 

Objectives focus on the inter-related dimensions of muisc: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations. 

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