EYFS- Early Years Foundation Stage

Reception Classes

Our reception classes are called; Bumblebees and Ladybirds.

The curriculum we deliver in Reception enables children to learn through challenge, exploration and investigation in line with the requirements set out in the Curriculum Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

This sets out the standards that must be met to ensure that children learn and develop well, are healthy and safe.

Children develop skills, acquire new knowledge and demonstrate their understanding through seven areas of learning and development. These areas are divided into the Prime and Specific areas of learning.

The Three Prime areas of learning focus on developing the skills that children need for healthy development and to become effective learners. These areas are:

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

As children grow, the Prime areas will help them to develop skills in Four Specific areas, which are:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

These seven areas are used to plan children’s learning and activities. It is designed to be flexible so that staff can follow the needs and interests of the children.

Children in the EYFS learn through play and exploration, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.

You can download a guide to the EYFS framework and what typical development looks like in each area of learning https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/media/7447/wtew.pdf[t1] 

Topics in Class

The EYFS curriculum is designed to work around the interests and needs of the children and is flexible. We take our lead from the children’s passions and interests, theming our teaching around them to ensure that children really engage with their learning.  We often follow the children’s interests and needs to create mini topics, although we do have regular topics and themes that we base children’s learning around each year.

This year our topics have been:

• Ourselves and our senses
• Wonderland
• Christmas
• Bears
• Julia Donaldson
• Farm
• Under the Sea
• At the Beach

Our classrooms are open every Wednesday after school for you to come and look at your child’s Learning Journey book.  This is a great opportunity to talk with your child about what they have been learning in school and they love to show off their amazing work around the room.   

Reading

We use the Oxford Reading Tree and Collins Big Cat reading schemes and once all children are on the reading scheme their books are changed on Tuesdays and Fridays. Reception staff hear the children read once a week, so their books and reading records need to be in school every day.

Phonics

We follow the Letters and Sounds phonics programme. Children have a daily phonics session where they are introduced to and taught how to use the sounds in a lively and hands on way. The website www.letters-and-sounds.com contains games and resources which you can use to support your child at home.

PE Kit

Your child’s PE Kit should be in a bag and will be kept on each child’s peg. This will stay in school until half term and will then be sent home for washing. If your child wears stud earrings or sleepers then please remove them before they come to school on these days.

Snack Time

Children are able to access our class Snack Bar throughout the day. Our snack bar is stocked with the fruit that is provided as part of the government’s free fruit programme, although at Belvoirdale, we provide free fruit to every year group as part of our healthy eating policy.

They also receive free milk before the age of five, with the option to pay for it once they are five.

At the End of the Day

Parents wait and collect their children by the Reception area.  Bumblebee class will leave through the cloakroom, Ladybird class will leave through the door to the EYFS outdoor area.  The children will collect their coats and belongings and the teacher will bring the children out to you. Please don’t be late for your child. If it is someone different picking your child up, please let the office or a member of EYFS staff know before the end of the day to avoid confusion at home time.