In Nursery and Reception we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, which is the statutory guidance published in 2012. It sets out the standards for the development, learning and care of children up to 5 years old. The EYFS is based on four main principles which underpin everything else that we do
- A Unique Child
- Positive relationships
- Enabling Environments
- Learning and Development
The 3 prime areas of learning and development are;
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Children will learn to play cooperatively and take turns, forming positive relationships with adults and other children. The children will choose activities and resources and develop confidence to try new things. They will talk about how they and others show feelings. They will understand and follow the classroom rules.
Communication and Language
Children will be encouraged to listen and respond appropriately in a range of situations. They will learn to follow instructions and answer questions about their experiences. Children will be taught how to express themselves effectively, showing an awareness of the listener.
Physical development
Children will develop good control and coordination in large and small movements. They will learn to move confidently in a variety of ways. They will learn to handle tools and equipment effectively. Children will learn about the importance of physical exercise and healthy eating.
The 4 specific areas of learning and development are;
Literacy
The children will learn the letter sounds and blend the sounds together to read simple words and sentences. They will show an understanding of what they have read. They will learn to write simple words using their knowledge of letter sounds and write sentences.
Numeracy
The children will learn to count reliably with numbers from 1-20, place them in order and find 1 more and 1 less. They will learn to add and take away with numbers up to 10 and solve simple problems.
Children will use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money. They will recognise, describe and create patterns. They will learn to name and describe shapes.
Understanding the World
Children will talk about past and present in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They will look at how they have changed since they were a baby.
Children will find out about similarities and differences in relation to objects, materials and living things. They will make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur.
Children will talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another.
Children will learn that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They will complete simple programmes on the computer.
Expressive arts and design
Children will use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Children will sing songs and make music including taking part in a Christmas play. They will explore a variety of musical instruments.
All of the areas of learning and development are interconnected to the characteristics of effective learning, which are ‘playing and exploring’, ‘active learning’ and ‘creating and critical thinking’.
Here at St Thomas’, we have a balance of teacher directed tasks and child initiated activities, which allow children to develop to their full potential.
Below is an overview of some topics we may cover but this is subject to change depending on the children’s interests.