Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
‘Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals and solve problems. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults. Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage,’
EYFS reforms early adopter version 2020
The four principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage underpin our Curriculum to ensure that we are best supporting our children with their development.
Our children develop their skills and knowledge through seven areas of learning and development. These are split into prime and specific areas:
Prime areas:
- Cmmunication and Language
- Physical Develpment
- Persnal, Social and Emotional Development
Specific areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Art and Design
In addition to these areas, the curriculum develops the 3 Characteristics of Effective Learning:
How we teach our Curriculum
All Early Years staff monitor children’s progress closely, and our assessment of their development against the Early Years Benchmarks informs the next steps in our planning. These also inform interventions where we provide tailored support to meet the needs of each individual child and any gaps in their learning. Throughout the year, there are opportunities to meet with Early Years staff to discuss children’s progress. At the end of the foundation stage, an EYFS profile will be completed for each child, and this will be shared with parents and carers.
Our Curriculum
At Springfield Academy, we use our planned curriculum, such as our Early Years’ Benchmarks and half-termly topics, to guide the learning for each term. However, we provide space within our planned curriculum for unplanned learning that is flexible and responsive to the interests and needs of our children.
Topic Overview
At Springfield Academy, we teach children to read and write using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We teach phonics daily with a review session taught on a Friday. The children apply their phonics knowledge by using a decodable reading book in their reading practice session. These reading sessions take place three times a week.
To promote a love of reading, we invite parents and carers into school once a week for our ‘Stay and Read’ sessions. This involves enjoying a story and a biscuit with your child at 3pm one day a week.
Outdoor Learning
“Playing, learning and having fun outdoors helps to improve wellbeing and resilience, as well as physical and mental health and also provides children with the opportunity to develop a life-long appreciation of the natural world.”
(Macleod, 2020, p.4).
We provide opportunities weekly for children to develop their skills and knowledge in our Forest School-inspired area. Children can learn through playing and exploring in our outdoor forest area where they think critically and creatively, applying what they have learnt in the classroom and developing their own ideas outside. Outdoor learning aims to encourage children to have a greater understanding of nature through exploration and discovery of an outdoor environment. Research also suggests that it can support children's social, physical and mental skills.
Our Environment
“Children are unique and holistic learners, thriving within environments that support their individual and diverse motivations, interests and needs. They require a wealth of possibilities within varied contexts, and this is best supported within stimulating and challenging environments that value exploration and play.” (Birth to 5 matters, 2021).
At Springfield Academy, we promote independence and curiosity in our learners as they take ownership over their learning by independently accessing the carefully planned and purposeful learning environment around them. Children conscientiously plan and select the resources they need to achieve an outcome and take pride and responsibility over their environment by tidying and caring for it. This is encouraged with our “Choose it, use it, put it away!” motto.