EYFS

Learning Together       Achieving Together

What is the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) like at Waverton?

At Waverton Primary School, we are proud to promote curiosity, enquiry and creativity through a challenging progressive curriculum where learning enables all children to fulfil their potential. We ensure coverage of the EYFS framework by teaching half termly topics. We strive for educational excellence for all children by providing rich cultural experiences enabling all children to be ready for the next stage of their learning. We promote language, communication and reading ensuring that books are at the centre of our Early Years curriculum. We value the individual, and are committed to an inclusive education promoting respect for all, working in partnership with parents, the local community and school governors.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) applies to children from birth to the end of the reception year. In our school the children join us on a phased introduction at the beginning of the school year in which they are five.

The EYFS is based upon four principles:

• A Unique Child
• Positive Relationships
• Enabling Environments with teaching and support from adults
• Learning and Development

A unique Child

At Waverton we recognise that every child is a competent learner who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. We aim to provide a quality and consistent education ensuring each child makes good progress and special educational needs are identified at the earliest opportunity. We recognise that children develop in individual ways and at varying rates. We encourage children to develop a positive attitude to learning by using praise, reward, positive feedback and self-reflection.

What if my child has additional needs?

At Waverton we believe that all children matter, we value the diversity of individuals and all children are given every opportunity to achieve their best. Children with Special Educational Needs have equal access to the EYFS. See SEND policy and Information Report.

In the EYFS we meet the needs of our children through:

• providing a safe and supportive learning environment in which the contribution of all children is valued
• using a wide range of teaching strategies based on children’s learning needs
• planning opportunities that build upon and extend children’s knowledge, experience and interests
• developing self-esteem and confidence
• monitoring progress and learning

How will you keep my child safe?

At Waverton, staff understand that ’children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them’. EYFS staff refer to our whole school safeguarding policy and use our EYFS risk assessment.  All staff have appropriate child protection and safeguarding training and know the policies and procedures in place. All staff have had PREVENT training and are aware of the dangers that can exist to children’s well-being in its many forms. All staff follow our medical and allergies policies and procedures. All staff have basic first aid training and are aware of those with paediatric first aid certificates. 

How will you get to know my child?

At Waverton we aim to develop caring, respectful, professional relationships with the children and their families through:

• inviting all parents to an induction meeting during the term before their child starts school.
• inviting children to a ‘stay and play’ session in the Summer term before starting school
• inviting children to a Teddy Bears' Picnic in the Summer term before starting school
• encouraging Waverton Pre-School and Stepping Stones to come for weekly visits to the outdoor area
• providing opportunity to talk about any concerns at the end of the school day
• holding Parent’s evening in Autumn and Spring term
• end of year reports
• encouraging parents to make comments in their child’s ‘Go Read’ reading app
• encouraging parents to communicate through the homework app, ‘Seesaw’

All staff involved with the EYFS aim to develop good relationships with all children, interacting positively with them and taking time to listen to them. At our school the EYFS teacher acts a ‘Key Person’ to all children in EYFS, supported by the Teaching Assistant.

At Waverton we have good links with the two nurseries in Waverton. Transition sessions are in place including weekly visits during the Summer terms and visits to the settings with our Year 6 buddies.

What is the EYFS learning environment like?

The EYFS classroom is organised to allow children to explore and learn securely and safely. The classroom is organised into learning areas, where children are able to find and locate equipment and resources independently.

The EYFS class has its own enclosed outdoor area. Being outdoors offers opportunities for doing things in different ways and on different scales than when indoors. It offers the children opportunities to explore, use their senses and be physically active and exuberant.  Staff plan activities and resources for the children to access outdoors that help them to develop in all areas of learning.

At Waverton staff reflect on the different ways children learn to ensure high quality teaching:

• playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
• active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
• creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things

How do you decide what to teach in EYFS at Waverton ?

At Waverton planning within the EYFS starts with information shared from pre-schools, the data gained on entry by completing the Reception Baseline Assessment and from observations of children in the learning environment. We observe individual interests, learning styles, current development and levels, before planning a relevant, creative, flexible and progressive curriculum. Skills and knowledge from Development Matters are used as a guide and Early Learning Goals from the EYFS framework are covered across topics. Staff take into account what the children already know and what they are interested in, together with a planned sequence of lessons which forms the basis of our Medium Term Topic Plans. Different topics are taught which ensure coverage of the framework. Each topic is taught through a variety of texts, ensuring that communication, reading and vocabulary are a focus, promoting a love of books and developing language. At Waverton phonics is taught daily and staff follow our school policy using Ready, Steady Phonics, Power Maths and Numberblocks are used for Maths, Literacy skills are taught in a variety of ways, ensuring reading is at the heart of everything we do, eg drawing club, talk for writing, pathways to write, helicopter stories. Children read in guided groups, and if appropriate individually, books are linked to phonic phases. Children are read to at least once a day. Physical Development is taught using our PE passport, Personal Social and Emotional Development is taught through our topics and statutory skills and knowledge are taught through RE.

What is the EYFS framework?

At Waverton staff consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in their care, and use this information to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences for each child in all areas of learning and development. Staff value all areas of learning and development equally and understand that they are interconnected.

The EYFS is made up of two areas of Learning and Development.  These include the Prime Areas of learning and the Specific areas of learning.

The Prime areas of learning include:

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

The Specific Areas of learning include:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

None of these areas can be delivered in isolation from the others. They are equally important and depend on each other. All areas are delivered through a balance of adult led and child-initiated activities. In each area there are Early Learning Goals (ELG's) that define the expectations for most children to reach by the end of the EYFS.

These areas of learning are subdivided into 17 aspects of learning.

The Prime areas subdivided into:

• Communication and Language –Listening and attention and Understanding and Speaking
• PSE – Self-Regulation, Managing Self and Making Relationships
• Physical Development – Gross Motor Skills and Fine Motor Skills

The Specific areas are subdivided into:

• Literacy – Comprehension, Word Reading and Writing
• Mathematics – Numbers and Numerical Patterns
• Understanding the World – Past and Present, People, Culture and Communities and The Natural World
• Expressive Arts and Design – Creating with materials and Being Imaginative and Expressive

Prime areas are fundamental, work together and move through to support development in all other areas.  The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge.  They grow out of the prime areas, and provide important contexts for learning.

Will my child have apportunities to play?

“Children’s play reflects their wide ranging and varied interests and preoccupations. In their play children learn at their highest level. Play with peers is important for children’s development.”

At Waverton staff are aware of the importance of high quality adult interaction, which is sensitive and adaptive to the needs of individual children and capable of promoting learning. Staff provide opportunities for structured and self-initiated play encouraging the children to demonstrate effective learning characteristics:

• willing to have a go
• concentrating and involved
• having their own ideas
• finding new ways of doing things
• choosing ways to do things
• enjoy achieving what they set out to do

At Waverton staff provide a combination of whole class, small group and individual teaching and learning and continuous play opportunities. Staff ensure that children are able to express themselves and display their deep learning through self-initiated play, encouraging children to be reflective about their learning. 

How do you know how well my child is doing?

On entry, staff carry out the Reception Baseline Assessment and a WellComm (speech and Language) Assessment for each child. Children’s development is assessed through a range of observations using both summative and formative assessment. Children are assessed against skills and objectives taught during guided sessions for instance, guided reading, guided writing, maths and topic work. Phonics is assessed at least once a term and children are benchmarked, when appropriate, termly. Evidence is recorded in the children’s topic books, floor books and other subject books where appropriate. Our whole school tracking system ‘Arbor’ is used for end of year judgements- Emerging if a child has not reached an Early Learning Goal and Expected if they have. By using interventions children are given extra teaching time to ensure they ‘keep up’ and don’t have to ‘catch up’. Teachers have high expectations for children with SEND and ensure good progress is made from their starting points. At the end of the school year parents receive a written school report showing the children’s achievements. Parents are told in the report if their child has reached ‘expected’ levels of development or have not yet reached ‘expected’ levels. Children give feedback, after topics have been taught, through pupil voice and complete an end of year questionnaire.

Do you have to report to the Local Authority?

At Waverton staff report to the local authority and take part in moderation as required. ‘Early years providers must report EYFS Profile results to local authorities, upon request. Local authorities are under a duty to return this data to the relevant Government department.’

Staff working in the EYFS are : Mrs Angela Croft, Mrs Anne Rushton, Mrs Sarah Hughes and Mrs Helen Stanworth

For further information please see our half termly topic overviews attached.