EYFS
Here at Kennet Valley Primary School we provide a safe environment in which children can experiment, explore and progress in their own creative ways.
The intent of our EYFS curriculum is to ensure our children develop the necessary skills, knowledge and attitude to achieve fulfilling lives. The EYFS is the start of our children’s school journey towards achieving this important purpose.
We teach using the Development Matters and EYFS Framework. We constantly assess children progress by daily interactions and observations of their learning. This is recorded in lesson trackers for phonics and maths, and termly trackers of the Prime and Specific areas of learning. Parents can add to these assessments through discussions with staff or by uploading observations onto Class Dojo, our communication platform in EYFS. Half term grids are analysed to ensure good progress and extra support is given where needed.
We aim to achieve our curriculum intent by providing high quality teaching and learning in a language rich environment. We value, respect and care for all of our children here at Kennet Valley Primary School. Each child is unique and brings an irreplaceable value to our classrooms. We provide an enriching curriculum which is driven by their interests, accessible to them and links to the world around them which they know and understand.
EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf DfE_Development_Matters_Report_Sep2023.pdf EYFS Policy Nov 2023.pdfLearning to talk - 3 to 5 years
Talking with your child is of huge importance in early years and makes a massive impact on their learning in school. The link above gives advice on how to support your child at home.
Guidance for parents on what to expect in the development of your child, throughout the Early Years Foundation stages from Birth to 5, is found below.
What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS.pdf
EYFS Curriculum documents
The documents below show our long term plan in Reception and our curriculum progression across the year.
Phonics
At Kennet Valley we use the DFE validated phonics scheme 'A Flying Start with Letters and Sounds' in all our phonics lessons. This provides us with a systematic approach to teaching phonics including a targeted intervention group for identified children who need extra support in developing their phonics skills. We hold a phonics information session in November to support parents with understanding how phonics and reading are taught at Kennet Valley.
Below is the presentation slides shown at the phonics information session
flying start phonics presentation to parents.pdf
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The links found below are also useful for helping support your child to read.
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/phonics/#audio
To practise saying sounds in a pure way:
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/phonics/#audiohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCI2mu7URBc&t=9s
When children have shown us they can blend, they will bring home a phonetically decodeable book with words, using the sounds they have been taught.
Maths
There are six key areas of mathematical learning, which together provide a platform for all the children will encounter as they progress through their maths learning at Kennet Valley Primary School, and beyond:
- Cardinality and Counting
- Comparison
- Composition
- Pattern
- Shape and Space
- Measures
The link below gives an example of how maths is taught in Reception. Play based activities using resources in adult led groups or as part of the children's continuous provision in the indoor and outdoor environment of EYFS.
The BBC series Numberblocks are a great way for you to share number at home with your child. They are 5 minute programmes and cover the six key areas of mathematical learning.