Early Years

Implementation

At Christ Church CE Primary School, the Early Years staff work together to research, plan and deliver engaging, motivating, and exciting play-based learning opportunities based on the 7 areas of learning. All learning opportunities are designed to not only ensure that the majority of our pupils leave the Early Years with a Good Level of Development and that all pupils make expected progress from their starting point, but also that children feel supported and encouraged to extend their learning and understanding.

Children in EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. Our outdoor areas are used all year round and in most weather conditions and are an extension of the inside learning environment.

Our curriculum follows the Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses the Development Matters 2023 and the Early Learning Goals as a basis. These documents specify the requirements for learning and development in the EYFS. We have used these to develop our curriculum to ensure that we deliver a carefully planned and progressive curriculum.

The EYFS team use formative assessment and their knowledge of each child to plan the exciting and engaging activities that will capture the children’s curiosity and move their learning and development forward, as well as giving them a context for their learning. Individual children’s interests and prior learning are also considered during the planning process and all staff seek and seize opportunities where the teaching and learning can be maximised and reinforced with the teacher as the facilitator.

Evidence of children’s learning is collected by the Early Years staff through observing the children in the learning environment. These observations are recorded using the Seesaw online learning journey and are used to identify next steps in each child’s learning and feed into planning and formative assessments throughout the year. All members of the Early Years team will know and understand where every child is in their learning journey and how to support them to ensure they stay on track to achieve their potential.

Parental/carer involvement is encouraged within the Early Years and all parents/carers have the opportunity to engage with their child’s learning through teacher observations on Seesaw and by having the opportunity to add observations from home, which contributes to the knowledge we have of the child in school. Parental/carer involvement is key to ensure all children are supported to reach their educational potential and feel emotionally secure when in the school environment to embrace the learning opportunities presented.

At Christ Church, Early Years practice is planned in line with guidelines and supports the concept of continuous provision, free-flow, outdoor learning, purposeful pedagogy, high quality learning conversations and an engaging and developing learning environment. Young children learn best through real and purposeful experiences and active learning, and as a result for much of the school day, children have the opportunity to learn through play.

During the foundation years, the children will experience learning through a variety of methods:

• Whole class Focused Activity: The children all work together with a teacher or a teaching assistant.
• Adult Focused Activity: The children will work with a teacher or teaching assistant in a small group of between 4 and 6 children. Adult led sessions ensure learning and teaching is age appropriate, provides opportunities for learning to be supported or extended and enables misconceptions to be identified and addressed.
• Self-Initiated Activity/Continuous provision: The children access learning activities of their choice to engage in. A carefully planned continuous provision environment and resources enable children to learn skills, challenge their thinking and help them to embed concepts.

Lessons and planning are monitored to ensure that our curriculum is implemented for the good of our children and that it impacts positively on their emotional and educational well-being and progress.

We provide effective, age-appropriate and focused interventions for any children who need support and are not on track to meet national expectations at the end of the year to enable them to make expected progress. This is provided in an inclusive and flexible manner depending on the needs of the individual children. Support from parents is also enlisted at an early stage to ensure that the children have every chance to achieve the Early Learning Goals.

Impact

The Early Years Curriculum at Christ Church CE Primary School has a positive impact on pupils supporting them to become happy, independent, and resilient learners, with a strong sense of self and inbuilt curiosity. All children will have the opportunity to develop good learning behaviours and will have formed positive relationships with their peers and adults.

By the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, our children will be equipped with skills that will give them a foundation for future learning. Children will demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning, take pride in their work and recognise their achievements. Children will have developed into well rounded individuals who embody our school values and would have made strong progress during their time in the Early Years.

Life Skills (Spring Term 2)

PATHS (Spring Term 2)

Understanding the World: Why is Easter special for Christians? (Spring Term 2)

Heartsmart - Don’t rub it in, rub it out (Spring Term 2)

Maths- Power Maths  (Spring Term 2)

Easter: Our Easter Bonnet Parade (Spring Term 2)

Jolly Music- Week 22 (Spring Term 2) 

Physical Development- Fundamentals: My Favourite Things. Week 5 (Spring Term 2) 

Easter (Spring Term 2)

Jolly Music- Week 21 (Spring Term 2) 

Physical Development- Fundamentals: Ways to look after ourselves. Week 4 (Spring Term 2)

Dear Zoo (Spring Term 2)

Topic: Animals (Wild)

Jolly Music- Week 20 (Spring Term 2) 

Physical Development- Fundamentals: Our Senses. Week 3 (Spring Term 2)

Duck in a Truck (Spring Term 2)

Topic: Animals (Farm)

Celebrating World Book Day (Spring Term 2)

Physical Development- Fundamentals: Feelings. Week 2 (Spring Term 2)

Understanding the World- How to look after a Pet: Bella’s Visit (Spring Term 2)

The Great Pet Sale (Spring Term 2)

Topic: Animals (Pets)

Jolly Music- Week 18 (Spring Term 2) 

Physical Development- Fundamentals: Body Parts. Week 1 (Spring Term 2)

What makes me Happy? (Spring Term 2)

(Feelings)

Life Skills (Spring Term 1)

PATHS (Spring Term 1)

Understanding the World: RE- Being Special- Where do we belong? (Spring Term 1)

Heartsmart- Too much selfie isn't healthy (Spring Term 1)

Maths- Power Maths (Spring Term 1)

Physical Development- Gymnastics: Pet Animals: To copy and create short sequences by linking actions together. Week 6  (Spring Term 1)

Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Spring Term 1)

Topic: Traditional Tales and House & Homes

Jolly Music- Week 17  (Spring Term 1)

Physical Development- Gymnastics: Sea Animals: To develop rocking and rolling. Week 5 (Spring Term 1)

Little Red Riding Hood (Spring Term 1)

Topic: Traditional Tales and Houses & Homes

Our Local Walk- Different types of homes (Spring Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 16  (Spring Term 1)

Physical Development- Gymnastics: Desert Animals: To develop balancing and taking weight on different body parts. Week 4 (Spring Term 1)

The Three Little Pigs (Spring Term 1)

Topic: Traditional Tales and Houses & Homes

Understanding the World: Chinese New Year 2025 (Spring Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 15  (Spring Term 1)

Physical Development- Gymnastics: Lakeland Animals: To create shapes whilst on the apparatus. Week 3 (Spring Term 1)

The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Spring Term 1)

Topic: Traditional Tales

Jolly Music- Week 14  (Spring Term 1)

Physical Development- Gymnastics: Woodland Animals: To copy and create shapes with our bodies. Week 2 (Spring Term 1)

What’s happened in our classroom? (Spring Term 1)

Topic- Traditional Tales

The Gingerbread Man (Spring Term 1)

Topic- Traditional Tales

I want to be a Cowgirl (Spring Term 1)

Topic: Goals

Reception's Christmas Party (Autumn Term 2)

Elf Surveillance

KS1 Nativity 2024- The Twinkly Nativity  (Autumn Term 2)

Life Skills (Autumn Term 2)

PATHS (Autumn Term 2)

Understanding the World: RE- Why do Christians perform Nativities at Christmas? (Autumn Term 2)

Heartsmart- Don’t forget to let Love in (Autumn Term 2)

Maths- Power Maths (Autumn Term 2)

Christmas Dinner (Autumn Term 2)

Jolly Music- Week 13 (Autumn Term 2)

The Jolly Christmas Postman (Autumn Term 2)

Topic: Christmas

Jolly Music- Week 12 (Autumn Term 2)

Physical Development- Dance: My journey to school: To move with control and co-ordination linking, copying and repeating actions. Week 6 (Autumn Term 2)

Excitable Edgar (Autumn Term 2)

Topic: Christmas

Jolly Music- Week 11 (Autumn Term 2)

Physical Development- Dance: Morning routine: To copy and repeat actions showing confidence and imagination. Week 5 (Autumn Term 2)

Understanding the World: Hanukkah (Autumn term 2)

Harry and the Dinosaurs make a Christmas Wish (Autumn Term 2)

Topic: Dinosaurs/Christmas

Jolly Music- Week 10 (Autumn Term 2)

Physical Development- Dance:  Transport: To create movements and adapt and perform simple dance patterns. Week 4 (Autumn Term 2)

Understanding the World: Divali (Autumn term 2)

My First Book of Dinosaurs (Autumn Term 2)

Topic: Dinosaurs

Jolly Music- Week 9 (Autumn Term 2)

Physical Development- Dance: Transport: To express and communicate ideas through movement exploring directions and levels. Week 3 (Autumn Term 2)

Whatever Next! (Autumn Term 2)

Topic: Space

Understanding the World & British Values- Remembrance Day Activities (Autumn Term 2)

Jolly Music- Week 8 (Autumn Term 2)

Physical Development- Dance: Heads, shoulders, knees and toes: To explore different body part and how they move and remember and repeat actions. Week 2 (Autumn Term 2)

Understanding the World: Testing Materials (Autumn Term 2)

Bears in the Night (Autumn Term 2)

Topic: Day & Night

Jolly Music- Week 7 (Autumn Term 2)

Physical Development- Dance: Heads, shoulders, knees and toes: To explore different body part and how they move. Week 1 (Autumn Term 2)

Hedgehog Howdedo & Bonfire Night (Autumn Term 2)

Topic: Seasons- Autumn

Life Skills (Autumn Term 1)

PATHS (Autumn Term 1)

Understanding the World: RE- why is the word God so important to Christians?  (Autumn Term 1)

PSED- Heartsmart- Get Heartsmart (Autumn Term 1)

Maths- Power Maths (Autumn Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 7 (Autumn Term 1)

Physical Development- Introduction to PE Week 7 (Autumn Term 1)

The Rainbow Fish- Colour (Autumn Term 1)

World Mental Health Day- Friday 10th October 2024

Jolly Music- Week 6 (Autumn Term 1)

Physical Development- Introduction to PE Week 6 (Autumn Term 1)

Create your own Elmer (Autumn Term 1)

Elmer- Colour (Autumn Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 5 (Autumn Term 1)

Physical Development- Introduction to PE Week 5 (Autumn Term 1)

The Elephant and the Bad Baby- Growing and changing (Autumn Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 4 (Autumn Term 1)

Physical Development- Introduction to PE Week 4 (Autumn Term 1)

UTW- Investigating with our sense of taste (Autumn Term 1)

Miss Polly had a Dolly- Senses (Autumn Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 3 (Autumn Term 1)

Bikeability (Autumn Term 1)

Physical Development- Introduction to PE Week 3 (Autumn Term 1)

Heartsmart- Build a Boris (Autumn Term 1)

All about Me: Funnybones- Our Bodies (Autumn Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 1 & 2 (Autumn Term 1)

Physical Development- Introduction to PE Week 1 & 2 (Autumn Term 1)

Reception's Walk to School Superstars- June & July 2024 (Summer Term 2)

Life Skills (Summer Term 2)

PATHS (Summer Term 2)

Understanding the World: RE- Which stories are special and why? (Summer Term 2)

Heartsmart - No way through isn’t true (Summer Term 2)

Maths- Power Maths (Summer Term 2)

Physical Development-Kickstarterz: Week 6 (Summer Term 2)

Jolly Music- Week 30 (Summer Term 2)

Mr Gumpy’s Outing (Summer Term 2)

Topic: Transport & Holidays (Boats)

Jolly Music- Week 29 (Summer Term 2)

Physical Development- Kickstarterz: Week 5 (Summer Term 2)

Letters from Felix Week 2 (Summer Term 2)

Topic: Transport & Holidays (Planes)

Jolly Music- Week 28 (Summer Term 2)

Physical Development- Kickstarterz: Week 4 (Summer Term 2)

Letters from Felix Week 1 (Summer Term 2)

Topic: Transport & Holidays (Planes)

Jolly Music- Week 27 (Summer Term 2)

Physical Development- Kickstarterz: Week 3 (Summer Term 2)

Understanding the World: Heritage Week- What life was like on the canals over 100 years ago (Summer Term 2)

Jolly Music- Week 26 (Summer Term 2)

Physical Development- Kickstarterz: Week 2 (Summer Term 2)

The Train Ride (Summer Term 2)

Topic: Transport and Holidays (Trains)

Jolly Music- Week 25 (Summer Term 2)

Physical Development- Kickstarterz: Week 1 (Summer Term 2)

Monster goes for a Drive (Summer Term 2)

Topic: Transport and Holidays (Road Vehicles)

Reception's Walk to School Superstars- April & May 2024 (Summer Term 1)

Life Skills (Summer Term 1)

PATHS (Summer Term 1)

Understanding the World: RE- Which places are special and why? (Summer Term 1)

Heartsmart - Fake is a Mistake (Summer Term 1)

Maths- Power Maths (Summer Term 1)

Jolly Music- Week 24 (Summer Term 1)

The Very Busy Spider (Summer Term 1)

Topic: Minibeasts

Jolly Music- Week 23 (Summer Term 1)

Physical Development- The Olympics: Jump, jump and jump some more- Week 5 (Summer Term 1)

The Bad Tempered Ladybird (Summer Term 1)

Topic: Minibeasts

Jolly Music- Week 22 (Summer Term 1)

Physical Development- The Olympics: Avoid that Object- Week 4 (Summer Term 1)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Week 2 (Summer Term 1)

Topic: Minibeasts

Jolly Music- Week 21 (Summer Term 1)

Physical Development- The Olympics: Run, run as fast as you can- Week 3 (Summer Term 1)

Understanding the World - Minibeast Hunts (Summer Term 1)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Summer Term 1)

Topic: Minibeasts

Jolly Music- Week 20 (Summer Term 1)

Physical Development- The Olympics: Throw that Ball- Week 2 (Summer Term 1)

Understanding the World: Growing our Beanstalks (Summer Term 1)

Jasper’s Beanstalk (Summer Term 1)

Topic: Planting & Growing

Jolly Music- Week 19 (Summer Term 1)

Physical Development- The Olympics: Move that Ball- Week 1 (Summer Term 1)

Understanding the World: Growing our Sunflowers (Summer Term 1)

Eddie’s Garden (Summer Term 1)

Topic: Planting & Growing

Our Trip to Eureka  (Autumn Term 1)

Understanding the World & British Values- Celebrating the King's Coronation (Summer Term 1)