Saint Mary's

Catholic Primary School, Congleton

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EYFS Curriculum

 

Saint Mary’s Catholic Primary School

EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION CURRICULUM STATEMENT

 

At Saint Mary’s Catholic Primary School our children are at the centre of everything we do. We believe each child is unique and made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, our intent is to develop each child individually, focussing on their own self-worth, their love of the environment around them, and their relationships with others in order to feel safe, valued and loved.

 

At Saint Mary’s our Early Years curriculum is designed to be creative, inspiring, challenging, memorable and fun. It will provide opportunities for children to participate in a range of experiences that will develop their knowledge and understanding and will provide them with the skills needed to be successful, confident, lifelong learners who reach their full potential. We intend to work in partnership with parents and carers to encourage independent, eager learners and will strive to prepare children to reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of the EYFS through good quality teaching and learning opportunities, ensuring that pupils make good progress from their starting points and are ready for the next step on their learning journey.

 

Each child has the right to have their individual needs met and we aim to achieve this by providing an enabling environment which promotes the learning and development of every child. Our school curriculum has been centred on the sustainable development goals to ensure that the school accomplishes its mission and promotes well informed students for the future.

 

Our EYFS curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the EYFS framework (2021) with a strong emphasis on learning through play. Learning opportunities are challenging and fun and encompass the seven main areas of learning;

 

• Personal, Social and Emotional

• Communication and Language

• Physical Development

• Literacy

• Mathematics

• Understanding the World

• Expressive Arts and Design

 

These seven areas are used to plan children’s learning and activities. During each week children engage in a combination of adult led and child-initiated activities which will promote independence, creativity, inquiry and problem solving. Children learn through activities linked to their interests and ideas, as well as teacher directed tasks.

 

Children’s learning is led through a balance of discrete, adult-led sessions and carefully planned continuous provision where children have the opportunity to explore and apply their learning using our motivating indoor and outdoor environments. Children have freedom to explore their interests to enable them to make sense of the world around them.

 

Pupils work towards the Early Learning Goals of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and the majority of children move onto the National Curriculum programmes of study at the beginning of year one. Children are prepared for transition into Key Stage One through visits to their new class and ensuring that environments are similar at the end of EYFS and the beginning of year one.

 

Children develop their phonic knowledge through Monster Phonics and develop their fluency in reading through the school’s approach to the daily teaching of reading. We take pride in providing a highly inclusive environment where learners of all abilities demonstrate high levels of enjoyment in their education and most make good progress in most areas of learning and children at all levels are helped and encouraged to achieve their potential.

 

At Saint Mary’s our outdoor environment is an extension of the indoors, complimenting each area of learning. Children have real and meaningful experiences, for example, noticing nature, experiencing the weather and discovering the outdoors. We believe outdoor learning is a place to learn and experience everything that cannot be experienced inside, giving the children the opportunity to do everything larger, louder and messier. Outdoors, our children play with greater intensity, energy, imagination, co-operation and collaboration, assessing possibilities and risk, and taking control of their own learning.

 

We aim for children to reach their Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception and to be in line with national expectations. Evidence in children’s electronic learning journeys (Evidenceme) support all areas of the EYFS curriculum as well as the characteristics of effective learning. EYFS staff observations form formative assessments which are used to inform future planning and ensure that children build on their knowledge, skills and understanding at a good pace. Progress is carefully tracked using the Early Years Foundation Stage profile and regular pupil progress meetings take place with senior leaders. Saint Mary’s is also part of the regular cluster group meetings with the Congleton partnership, Cheshire East, and the schools in our MAT.

 

We strive for pupils to be ready for Key Stage One and to have our school values embedded by the time they leave the EYFS, preparing them for the future.

Long Term Plan 2024-2025

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