EYFS
Intent
Here at Palm Bay Primary School, we pride ourselves on having a calm, purposeful early years learning environment in which all children can be themselves, thrive and become confident, independent leaners. We develop strong relationships with the children and their families, and ensure we have a deep knowledge and understanding of each child.
Our inclusive environment supports all children to thrive and seek challenge, as well as enabling them to access an ambitious and coherently planned and sequenced curriculum.
Implementation
-
Children access a balanced timetable with appropriate portions of child-initiated, adult-guided and adult-directed learning.
-
Although there is a planned and sequenced curriculum for EYFS, this is flexible and will be adapted based on the needs and interests of the children.
-
The EYFS curriculum ensures the children have the prior knowledge they require for their next steps of learning.
-
Prior learning is revisited and embedded through spaced retrieval practice.
-
Missed learning or gaps in learning are addressed quickly through 1:1 and small group interventions.
-
Family learning events, such as library sessions and parent-child workshops, are offered each term.
Impact
By the end of reception, our children will have developed the essential knowledge and skills ready for a semi-formal approach to learning in Year 1, as well as being prepared for lifelong learning.
EYFS Class Information
At Palm Bay our Reception classes work very closely together, with all 60 children playing and learning alongside one another. The children are encouraged to explore both the inside and outside environment as they choose throughout the day, whilst all adults support and extend the children’s learning through high quality interactions, ensuring that we all have an in-depth knowledge of every child in our phase. We also encourage the children to use and develop their executive functioning skills.
There are 2 classes in Reception:
Robins: Miss Francesca O'Carroll
Puffins: Miss Esperanza King
We also have a third teacher, Miss Hart, who works across reception Monday-Wednesday.
A Day in the Life of EYFS
8.45 – 8.55 – Children are welcomed by the adults and assisted in organising themselves for the day. Our day begins as soon as the children arrive with their early morning focus activities – these include practicing pencil control and letter formation, sharing a story with their peers, or participating in nursery rhymes.
9.05 – 9.45 – Read Write Inc (Phonics) - We teach reading and writing through the RWI Literacy scheme. At first, the children learn the sounds for single letters and how to blend these together in order to read and write words. They are then introduced to letter groups (including: th, sh, ay, ee). The children practice these skills regularly in order to begin reading quickly and confidently. Building words by sound, and then sentences, are the essential tools for writing.
9.45 – 9.55 – Break
9.55 - Story
10.00 – 10.10 – Maths - We follow the Mastering Number scheme which supports the children in developing firm foundations in their understanding of number.
10.10 - 11.30 – Play to Learn Time – Play is a very important part of a child's development. Through Play to Learn time, the EYFS team use quality interactions to draw out the children's knowledge and build on it there and then (in the moment). We use the teachable moment from the child's perspective and will either intervene to scaffold and extend play, or stand back and observe the 'child initiated learning' as the children build on what they know already and explore what is new to them.
11.30 - 11.40 - Maths Meeting – This is a fun mental/oral numeracy session with lots of songs, that covers important concepts such as calendar, time, shape and money.
11.40-11:55 - Story and 'Pinny Time' (an opportunity to practice and embed our knowledge of known sounds and oral blending skills)
11:55 – 13.00 – Lunch – The children all eat together in the hall and then go to the playground with Midday Meals Supervisors and other children from KS1. Activities are set up for the children to take part in and they can use the climbing apparatus.
13.00 – 13.10 – Lunchtime reflection and afternoon registration
13.10 –13.20 – Topic - Each term we have a different overarching theme (such as Traditional Tales, Growing and Changing, and People Who Help Us). Through these themes we promote cross-curricular links in order to develop the children's vocabulary and knowledge acquisition in a meaningful way.
13.20 - 14.30 – Play to Learn Time
14.30 - 14.45 - Circle Time/Reflection
14.45 - 15.10 – Nursery Rhymes/Story
15.10 – 15.20 – Children are met at the classroom door to go home.
