Starting School at Compton CE Primary School - the EYFS curriculum in Reception
Intent
•We aim to develop the school ethos from when the children first start school, 'And the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom.'
•We aim for our pupils to be creative thinkers who solve problems and are given various opportunities to explore and learn.
•We aim for our pupils to be good citizens; being polite, kind, caring and sociable with familiar adults and children.
•We aim to support our pupils to develop a wide and high-quality vocabulary for them to use with others.
•We aim to work in partnership with parents/carers and the child’s previous setting to provide the best possible start at Compton CE Primary School, ensuring that each individual reaches their full potential from their starting point.
•We aim to provide an engaging curriculum in order to achieve a high level of progress and attainment.
•We aim for the Reception children to take their first few steps towards the Downlands Federation Vision –
Our vision for the federation is that each child becomes a powerful learner allowing them to achieve the best possible outcomes and enabling them to take an active part in the challenges that lay ahead.
Implementation
•All pupils complete a baseline assessment upon entry to our Reception Class, so that progress can be tracked from their individual starting points.
•Learning is planned using the 7 areas of Learning and Development in the statutory Early Years Framework (2020). There is a strong emphasis on the Prime Areas of learning; Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development and Communication and Language.
•Our staff use the Reception Knowledge Rich Projects from Cornerstones as a tool to support their planning and subject knowledge.
•We develop a mix of child initiated and adult led plans which link to the school’s curriculum and the children’s interests. The experienced staff enable the children to link learning to their play and exploration right from the start.
•The timetable is carefully structured so that children have directed teaching during the day. The timetable changes throughout the year to take into consideration the changing needs of the children. These sessions are followed by small focused group work. Learning takes place in different areas of the classroom and within our school grounds and local area.
•We plan for opportunities to develop the pupils' speech and language skills, with a particular focus on vocabulary.
•We undertake observations daily that our shared with parents using the Tapestry program. This is one way we enable a strong partnership between home and school.
Impact
•Our Reception classroom is a happy, learning rich environment.
•Children who join us in Reception flourish in their social skills. They quickly become part of our school family and gain independence in their learning.
•The impact of teaching and learning can be seen through observing the pupils, in the pupils' workbooks and the observations on Tapestry.
•Every child is known at an individual level. This means that timely interventions to support and challenge are given when needs are assessed through either school knowledge or outside agency recommendations, such as Speech and Language.
•Parents become part of the school life and support their child with their learning.
•All pupils, including pupils with additional needs, reach their full potential.
•We ensure that all children make at least good progress from their starting points and are equipped with the skills and knowledge to have a smooth transition into Year 1.
Early Years Foundation Stage
Early Years Foundation Stage - Good Level of Development (end of Reception Year)
