Early Years at Bolton

Subject Lead: Debbie Tinkler (Since September 2017)

Monitoring Governor: Kaya Bennett

Following Ofsted in 2020, the class structures at Bolton Primary were changed to allow for Early Years and KS1 to be in Class 1 with a teacher and an EY specialist teacher. The Early Years children are taught as a discreet group each morning for Phonics, Maths and Literacy activities. In 2022, the decision was made to revamp the Early Years Curriculum and give some focus to the children’s interests through the use of topics. As the subject lead, it was important that the Early Years Curriculum was creative and ambitious. As the lead, I spent a significant amount of time researching effective curriculums for the Early Years and worked alongside colleagues within our cluster. Throughout this curriculum, the children build on previous knowledge and it allows them to be ready for KS1. There are two topics per half term which are planned into the continuous provision to allow the children to develop knowledge and understanding in the different areas. The topics are as follows:

(See below a detailed curriculum plan showing key learning and key texts for each topic)

The topics were chosen specifically to match our KS1 curriculum to allow for progression of knowledge and skills, such as the topic ‘wonders of the seaside’ covered in Early Years gives them the opportunity to develop their understanding of the seaside before they do the unit ‘All about St Bees’ in KS1 Geography. There has also been an improvement in the experiences that we have been able to provide our Early Years children, such as they are able to come along to St Bees with KS1 to visit the seaside.

Every day, we provide opportunities for children to come together to share their experiences and have fun. Our children are happy, proud and feel secure knowing that we celebrate their successes and value their achievements. The curriculum is centred around children’s interests with a balance of child-initiated and adult-led learning. Our learning environment facilitates child-initiated play and provides children with carefully planned opportunities which allow children to explore, create and learn through exciting, stimulating, interactive and accessible resources.

In EYFS at Bolton Primary School, the curriculum is designed to recognise children’s prior learning from previous settings and their experiences at home, provide first-hand learning experiences, whilst allowing the children to build resilience, ambition and integrity. Every child is recognised as a unique individual and we celebrate and welcome differences within our school community. The ability to learn is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts and values. We provide enhancement opportunities to engage learning and believe that our first experiences of school should be happy and positive, enabling us to develop a lifelong love of learning. Throughout their time in EYFS, the children develop a sense of belonging to our school community, ready to transition to year 1 the following academic year. They have the confidence and skills to make decisions and self-evaluate, make connections and become lifelong learners. We intend: To work in partnership with parents and carers to encourage independent, happy learners who thrive in school and reach their full potential from their various starting points. To understand and follow children’s interests and provide opportunities throughout our EYFS curriculum to support learning, consolidate and deepen knowledge and ensure children meet their next steps. To create an indoor and outdoor environment which supports learning. To prepare children to reach the Early Learning goals at the end of the Foundation Stage and ensure children make at least good progress from their starting points. To support transition into KS1.

Throughout EYFS at Bolton Primary School, we follow the Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This framework specifies the requirement for learning and development in the Early Years and provides prime and specific areas of learning we must cover in our curriculum. We have a curriculum that is child-centred and that is based upon wow experiences and topics which engage the children. We encourage active learning to ensure the children are motivated and interested. We take time to get to know children’s interests and their likes to support learning. All areas of the EYFS curriculum are followed and planned for to ensure there is a broad, balanced and progressive learning environment and curriculum. The children will learn new skills, acquire new knowledge and demonstrate understanding through the seven areas of the EYFS curriculum - Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development; Communication and Language; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design. These 7 areas are used to plan children’s learning and activities. Planning for this curriculum is designed to be flexible so that a child’s unique interests are supported. During each week, the children will work with an adult to complete at least three 1:1 reading session as well as adult led literacy tasks, adult led maths tasks and a range of child-initiated tasks through both the indoor and outdoor provision. A vital aspect in the development of essential knowledge and skills is the use of continuous provision. This means that children are using and developing taught skills throughout the year on a daily basis.

Continuous provision practise and principles begin in EYFS and support children to develop key life skills such as independence, innovation, creativity, enquiry, analysis and problem solving. During the school day, children will have an opportunity to work independently, work collaboratively with their friends and with members of staff. Daily guided activities are also planned to cover different areas of the EYFS curriculum and allow children to develop their next steps in learning. Through observation and discussion, areas of need and next steps are identified for all children to ensure good progress is made. There are also a range of stimulating and engaging activities which the children can access independently and a variety of opportunities for child-initiated play. In planning and guiding children’s activities we reflect on the different ways that children learn and reflect these in our practise.

Staff in the EYFS make regular observations of the children’s learning to ensure their next steps are met. These are collected in each child’s online Tapestry learning journey. We regularly assess where the children are, using ‘Development Matters’ and Birth to Five guidance and then ensure our planning, adult interaction and learning environment; including continuous provision, support children to reach their next steps. We will include interventions for groups or individuals if and when necessary. 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.

We ensure activities support the Characteristics of Effective Learning to ensure learning takes place. These are: Playing and Exploring – children investigate and experience things, and have a go; Active Learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements; Creating and Thinking Critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things. We have a dedicated time focusing on health and self-care. We share a range of healthy snacks and learn about the importance of a healthy balanced lifestyle to maintain our own wellbeing. We keep parents informed and we meet regularly with them to ensure children’s transition into school and through the EYFS is happy and allows them to reach their potential with the support needed. This includes transition days, nursery visits, stay and play sessions, parent workshops, tapestry learning journeys, reports and parent consultations as well as more frequent informal communication to suit individual families. Transition into year 1 runs smoothly as EYFS are part of Class 1 with Year 1 and Year 2 children. Gradually throughout the year the EYFS children are involved in increasing activities with KS1 children.

The EYFS is a very important stage in a child’s life as it helps prepare for school ‘readiness’ as well as preparing them for their future learning and successes. Children’s early years’ experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support their development, care and learning needs.  Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential.  Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences before the age of five will have a major impact on their future life chances. The EYFS framework explains how and what children will be learning to support their healthy development and provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. Children will learn skills, acquire new knowledge and demonstrate their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development. We follow the progression through development matters with our own clear tracking of progress made half termly in each area.

Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. These are:

•         Communication and language;

•         Physical development; and

•         Personal, social and emotional development.

These prime areas are those most essential for a child’s healthy development and future learning.

As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. These are:

•         Literacy;

•         Mathematics;

•         Understanding the world; and

•         Expressive arts and design.

All 7 areas of learning are used to plan children’s learning and activities. The professionals teaching and supporting your child at Bolton School will make sure that the activities are suited to your child’s unique needs.

Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. It is very important that they develop social skills, such as turn-taking, sharing and independence, which help them greatly in the next stages of their learning.  The guiding principles that shape our practice in the Early Years are that children are born ready, able and eager to learn.  They actively reach out to interact with other people, and in the world around them.  Development is not an automatic process, however.  It depends on each unique child having opportunities to interact in positive relationships and enabling environments.

This does not mean that all your child's learning is divided up into specific areas.  One experience may provide a child with opportunities to develop a number of skills and concepts across several areas of learning.  Our expectation is that your child's records will be passed on from Nursery and/or Pre-school groups, enabling us to ensure continuity throughout the Early Years Foundation stage.

Phonics teaching and learning are a key part of the Foundation Stage and help to develop early reading and writing skills.  If you visited a Reception class, you would see a range of activities taking place such as role-play, practical games, painting, cutting and sticking and reading in the book corner. You would also see the outdoor classroom in operation, with equipment such as bikes, role play, sand and water.

Children work and play independently, with a strong emphasis on choice and being able to sustain concentration on projects, as well as joining a variety of teacher-led activities. The EYFS curriculum consists of 17 aspects of learning, at Bolton we provide our pupils with the opportunities the meet the Early Learning Goals in all of these aspects.

Assessment plays an important part in helping parents, carers and practitioners to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and to plan activities and support. Ongoing assessment is an integral part of the learning and development process.  It involves practitioners observing children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles, and to then shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations.  In their interactions with children, practitioners should respond to their own day-to-day observations about children’s progress, and observations that parents and carers share.  To this end we make systematic observations and assessments of each child's achievements, interests and learning styles.  We then use these observations and assessments to identify learning priorities and plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child.

Each child’s level of development is assessed against the early learning goals (above).  Practitioners will indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development:

•         Emerging - not yet reaching expected levels of development for age and working towards the expected level

•         Expected – children have met the national expected level of development

The Year 1 teacher is also the reception teacher, therefore has a full understanding of the reception end of profile assessments leading to a positive transition for children between reception and year 1.  The teacher has a clear understanding of each child’s stage of development and learning needs and assist with the planning of activities at the start of Year 1. Parents will have access to the Profile report that is linked to the Early Learning Goals together with a short commentary on each child’s skills and abilities in relation to the three key characteristics of effective learning.

We strive to ensure that our children’s progress across the EYFS curriculum is good from their varied starting points. We also strive for children to reach the Early Learning Gals at the end of Reception and to be at least in line with National Expectations. We have exceeded this in the past few years. Evidence in children’s learning journeys support all areas of the EYFS curriculum. The impact of our curriculum is measured by assessment procedures which allow us to measure outcomes against all schools nationally. We measure the percentage of pupils achieving age related expectations throughout the academic year, put supportive interventions in place if and when needed. Class teachers use observations to make formative assessments which inform future planning and ensure that all children build on their current knowledge and skills at a good pace. Summative assessment compares children attainment to age related expectations using month bands in Development Matters and with Birth to Five Matters Guidance. This is tracked using a tracker to ensure rates of progress are at least good for all children, including vulnerable groups such as those with SEND, disadvantaged or summer born children. Our assessment judgements have been moderated both in school and externally with local schools and others in our cluster. We also partake in local authority moderation which has validated our school judgements. The impact of our curriculum will also be measured by how effectively it helps our pupils develop into well rounded individuals who embody our values and carry with them the knowledge, skills and attitudes which will make them lifelong learners and valuable future citizens. We endeavour for pupils to be Key Stage 1 ready and have our school values embedded by the time they leave reception, preparing them for their future.

To ensure children make outstanding progress in EYFS, it is our intent to take into consideration their starting points and needs of our pupils as they begin their learning journey. Every child has access to a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum which prepares them for now and for the future in terms of opportunities and experiences. Following personal interests and individual needs, allows us to plan and provide opportunities throughout our EYFS curriculum to support learning and development and achieve their next steps.

Our EYFS curriculum aims to enable our children to be:

Competent and creative learners; who are curious about the world around them.

Secure and confident; who enjoy coming to school and learning new skills and knowledge building on their existing learning.

Skilful communicators; who connect with others through language and play, ensuring that they play in a vocab rich environment.

Once a child has reached the end of the EYFS we aim to have instilled the skills and attitudes that will enable each individual to make a successful transition into Year One.  At Bolton School, we aspire for them to be Year One ready and to display the following skills and understanding in each area.

PSED

• Form positive relationships with adults and peers, respecting other’s feelings and understanding how their behaviour has an impact on others.
• Show independence in their learning, being able to make their own choices about how to approach an activity and showing resilience when problems occur. They will be able to select their own resources to support their learning e.g. cubes to help with counting.
• Be able to work as part of a team, listening to other’s ideas and working towards a shared outcome.
• Understand that they have a role to play in their own learning, demonstrating good learning behaviours and taking pride in their achievements. This includes being aware of the learning pit and understanding that making mistakes are an important part of the learning journey.
• To know when and where to ask for help, trying to solve problems for themselves first before seeking the support of an adult.
• Understand the school values, what they mean and develop understanding of applying them.
• Talk about ways to stay healthy, including hygiene and dental care.

Communication and Language

• Communicate clearly, expressing their ideas, needs, opinions and feelings using full sentences.  Children will be confident to hold a back and forth conversation, maintaining the flow and theme of the discussion.
• Listen as part of a group or class during discussions, valuing their peers’ comments and responding appropriately.  Children understand how to ask questions to clarify their understanding or take their learning further.
• Use an increasingly varied vocabulary.  This will include topic specific language to talk about things, such as shapes in a more technical way. This is supported by using our Concept Cat language.
• Have a bank of poems and songs that they are able to recite or join in with in class.
• Follow and give clear instructions or descriptions.

Physical Development

• Demonstrate developed gross motor skills enabling them to confidently move in a range of ways e.g. hopping, running, skilling and climbing.
• Negotiate space and obstacles safely, showing consideration for themselves and for others.  This includes when riding on a bike or scooter.
• Throw and catch a ball accurately.
• Use small tools such as scissors, paintbrushes and cutlery independently and safely.
• Hold a pencil effectively to enable fluent writing, knowing how to apply the correct pressure to form clear letters.
• Know how to stay safe when riding bikes and scooters e.g. wearing helmet, remembering their scooter training.
• Developed a strong core to enable them to maintain the posture needed for completing activities such as writing.
• Demonstrate good stamina which enables them to participate effectively in physical activities.

Literacy

• Have a secure knowledge of all taught EYFS phonics which enables them to read simple sentences and books, and transition effectively to the Year One phonics curriculum.
• Be able to independently write simple short sentences that can be read by themselves and others, showing an awareness of capital letters and full stops.
• Form letters correctly, using an effective pencil grip and knowing where to start each letter.
• Develop a love of reading, being able to talk about favourite stories, characters and key events.
• Have an understanding of story language, enabling them to create their own stories and narratives.
• Understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction books, and know some of the terms associated with them e.g. author, illustrator, content, heading.
• Join in with and recite well know poems.
• Join in with familiar stories.

Maths

• Have a secure understanding of numbers to ten and experienced numbers that go beyond ten. 
• Be able to subitise numbers to five and mentally recall number bonds to five, and number bonds to ten with resources.
• Recognise patterns in their environment and within numbers, being able to copy and create their own patterns.
• Understand more and less, being able to compare quantities.
• Name simple common 2D and 3D shapes, using correct vocabulary to describe the shapes properties and understanding that shapes can have other shapes within them.
• Apply mathematical knowledge in a range of different contexts through their play.
• Be able to correctly form the numerals 0-9.

Understanding the World

• Have a strong sense of curiosity that makes them what to find out the ‘why’ behind how things work.
• Have an enquiring mind about the past, exploring it through stories and talking to people. 
• Begin to understand where they can find information to help them learn about the past.
• Recognise similarities and differences between the present and the past, or between different locations.
• Understand that people have different beliefs and religions, showing respect and tolerance for those differences.
• Use maps, globes, non-fiction books and recorded clips to talk about different places in the world. 
• Understand the impact that they have on the world and how they can help take care of it.
• Talk about where different animals live and what makes them suitable for their habitat.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Developed a sense of creativity which inspires them to explore all aspects of art confidently.
• Confidence to perform in front of others either by themselves or as part of a group.
• Know how to use a range of percussion instruments with care and control. 
• Handle a range of small tools with control e.g. paintbrush, scissors, pencils, knife and fork.
• Think about what they are going to create before they start, and then evaluate their work as they go by saying what has worked and what hasn’t.
• Understand the ‘Austin’s Butterfly’ technique of evaluating and improving their work and applying this to creative tasks.
• Create their own imaginative storylines and perform them using props.
• Retell and perform well known stories and poems, individually and in groups.
• Enjoy listening to a range of music from different countries, being able to say what they do or don’t like about it.
• Talk about how music makes them feel, showing their responses through art work or dance.

At Bolton School, it is our ambition that during their time in EYFS children are given opportunities to develop physically, verbally, cognitively and emotionally.  By the end of the EYFS we aim to ensure that all children have an embedded love of learning and positive attitude towards school.

Transition to school: Most children attend the privately-run nursery for their pre-school years that is located next to the school. The school has great links with the nursery, and this has led to a very positive transition process for children for the past several years from pre-school to reception. The school runs stay and play sessions for Bolton Nursery pre-school children where they join the current Reception for a play beginning in the Autumn Term and these visits increase throughout the year. We have high ambitions for all our children and recognise that children have different starting points to their learning. We plan according to children’s stage of development so all can thrive and develop. We aim for children to be well-rounded individuals who are independent, resilient, and confident in themselves and with others. The reception children are excited and motivated to learn through rich and challenging learning experiences, opportunities to explore and take risks and first-hand experiences.

Working with parents: We work closely with parents which helps to support children’s transition into Bolton School too. We would like parents to feel secure in the knowledge that their child is well cared for and happy at school. Our parents are welcome to be actively involved in their children’s learning in school and are able to share learning experiences through contributing to their child’s learning journey through Tapestry and also through parent workshops. We recognise that parents are the first educators in children’s lives and value contributions to judgements about children’s development. We use this information to support our assessments and share information about what children need to do next to develop and thrive.

Please see our Early Years at Bolton document below for more information, including our policy, progression from EYFS to Year 1 and long term plans.