At Bradley Green Primary Academy we offer an Early Years curriculum that is rich in wonder and memorable experiences. We ensure that all of our children have a broad curriculum with a good balance of adult led and child-initiated activities to ensure the best outcomes for all pupils. We understand that play is an integral part of learning and this is at the heart of our Early Years curriculum. It is our intent that the children who enter our Early Years develop physically, verbally, cognitively, and emotionally whilst embedding a positive attitude to school and learning. We ensure that all pupils feel safe and secure and ready to learn. We are passionate about creating opportunities for children to communicate more easily through developing language and communication skills and specifically teaching vocabulary. We believe that all children deserve to be valued as an individual and we are passionate in allowing all children to achieve their full, unique potential.
“A good early education is the foundation for later success”
Our curriculum intent
In Foundation Stage at Bradley Green Primary Academy, we follow the whole school belief that ‘Knowledge is Power’. This underpins one of our key drivers- Knowledge and Understanding.
Our key drivers in Foundation Stage are:
- Language Development
- Social Development
- Knowledge and Understanding
- Physical Development
These drivers are delivered through the use of high-quality texts which drive our curriculum. All areas of learning are covered as an integral part of the focus work during the year. We ensure that the development of vocabulary is key.
We have used our knowledge of child development, observations and schemas alongside the Development Matters Curriculum to plan for our long-term learning, which allows for age related progression.
At the start of each new unit, we share knowledge organisers – these ensure that it is clear for teachers, children and parents, the information that should be learned and remembered. Knowledge organisers are available to download from class pages and are sent home to develop home links with school.
To promote parent partnerships and further develop our key drivers. Our class mascot, Bradley Bear is sent home with children every week, who, on his return, discuss and tell us facts about the places he has visited and things he has done.
The EYFS Framework
There are seven areas of learning and development that help to shape educational provision in Early Years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. None of the areas of learning can be delivered in isolation from the others. Our children’s learning experiences enable them to develop competency and skills not just academically but also socially, emotionally and physically.
The three prime areas which are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships are:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
Staff will also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
All those areas of learning are connected together. The characteristics of effective teaching and learning weave through them all. That’s because children in the early years are becoming more powerful learners and thinkers. These characteristics develop as they learn to do new things, acquire new skills, develop socially and emotionally, and become better communicators.
At Bradley Green Primary Academy, we plan learning experiences considering both the children's individual needs and achievements as well as a range of learning experiences that will assist them to make progress. Well planned play is a key way in which children learn with enjoyment and challenge during the Foundation Stage.
Children deepen their understanding by playing, talking, observing, planning, questioning, experimenting, testing, repeating, reflecting and responding to adults and to each other.
Developing expertise
Our EYFS subject lead ensures that they are up to date with all current EYFS knowledge, training, and development through Enquire learning trust networks and is just starting the NPQ for Early Years Leads.
Our EYFS team also benefits from the EYFS lead being a level 3 forest school leader.
Our curriculum approach - Knowing and remembering more
Literacy
In Nursery, reading is taught through modelling, a weekly focused read and daily experiences through Power of Reading texts.
Using the Read, Write Inc Phonics scheme, pupils in the EYFS make excellent progress in their early reading meaning they are able to access a wide range of texts.
In Reception, all children read to an adult on a weekly basis. The level of book that the child is on matches their phonological awareness.
Library books and reading books are changed on a weekly basis.
Nursery children take part in drawing club on a daily basis. They are introduced to exciting texts including traditional tales on a weekly basis. They act out and chant new vocabulary linked to the book. They independently draw a character, setting and then use their imagination to answer a “I wonder” question. Children add in their own code which includes number, squiggles and letters to bring their drawing to life. Teachers scribe children’s responses about their drawing.
Physical development
Children take part in weekly forest school sessions led by a Forest School leader. This involves them developing independence in dressing and undressing for the outdoors and supports fine and gross motor skills. It also promotes awareness of the world around us.
Both Nursery and Reception have a weekly specific P.E. lesson in which they master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities.
Fine motor skills are taught through ranging finger gym provision, dough disco and squiggle whilst you wiggle lessons.
Learning Environment
High level and rich vocabulary is displayed all around the classrooms and in the outdoors. Everything is clearly labelled with photographs and words. Working walls contain rich vocabulary, evidence of talk/discussions, models of excellence with annotations about why (discussed with the children prior to display). The use of the Power of Reading Journal to evidence working wall and all work we have done linked to the topic/text.
Displays also showcase the children’s work and allow them to feel a sense of pride in their achievements.
All resources are accessible and available for the children to use independently.
Forest School
We are proud to have 2 qualified forest school leaders. Forest school is taught in the Early Years on a weekly basis. The children take the lead in their own learning and explore the outdoors. The sessions support fundamental outdoor skills, risk taking, team work and resilience.
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We have a long term plan for Nursery and Reception. We use I wonder questions to explore different areas of learning and choose high quality texts as our starting points.