EYFS

The Prime Areas are:

Communication and Language

As spoken language underpins all the areas of learning we aim to provide a language rich environment, numerous back-and-forth interactions, quality conversations and introduce, model and use a wide vocabulary, to support each child’s learning. The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. Staff are familiar with the ‘ShREC’ approach of four stages to interaction. The first of these being to ‘share attention’ with the child in their play, followed by ‘responding’ to the child’s non-verbal and verbal’ communications. This would then lead to ‘expanding’ when the adult will repeat what a child says and introduce further vocabulary and modelling of speaking in full sentences. The final stage of this approach would now have developed to the ‘conversation’, an extended back and forth interaction between the adult and the child. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children's language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, storytelling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.

Physical Development

Your child develops the ability to move in different ways: to use gross motor skills (eg. Run, throw, catch), develop fine motor skills (e.g. Hold a pencil correctly and use scissors), learn about healthy living and manage their self-care independently (e.g. Using the toilet, getting dressed and undressed and washing hands). These significant stages form the foundations of Early Writing and, in Reception, children are introduced to our whole school Letter Join scheme. Through gross motor skill warm up activities, children secure these foundations in order to apply this to holding a pencil and progressing from mark making to accurate letter formation in writing

Personal, Social and Emotional

Each child is supported to develop their confidence and self-awareness: they learn to manage their feelings and behaviour: begin to make positive relationships with adults and each other, so that they can share, take turns and play cooperatively with others: following class rules and being sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. In both Nursery and Reception classes, there are calm spaces accessible for children to go to. Clear routines are in place for transitions throughout the day to prepare children for each new change. Similar routines are used as children enter Year One, in order to support children with this transition into Key Stage One.

As children develop confidence in the prime areas of learning, they will become increasingly curious and enthusiastic to explore the specific areas of learning:

Literacy

Your child will be taught phonics, using the Read Write Inc scheme. During Nursery and Reception, children will use their phonic knowledge to read and write letter sounds and simple words, progressing to reading and writing sentences. Your child will listen to stories, rhymes and songs on a daily basis and ask and answer comprehension questions informally, through conversations, reading sessions and story time on the carpet. Our aim is to develop a lifelong love of reading in your child. We have a high number of experienced Read Write Inc teachers and are, as a result, able to provide smaller, more targeted group support daily for phonics. This enables children to progress more rapidly and builds on their confidence as part of a smaller group.

Mathematics

We aim to develop a positive attitude and interest in maths, with children learning to work confidently with numbers (e.g. Counting forwards and backwards, using objects to add and subtract two- one digit numbers). In Reception the children will follow the Power Maths scheme, which provides a strong grounding in number, yet also have many daily opportunities to consolidate and extend their learning independently and through teacher led challenges. I Nursery they develop their understanding of early number with ‘Number blocks’. Children will develop their mathematical language to talk about size, capacity, time and money.

Understanding of the World

Your child will learn about the community they live in and the people who help us. They make observations of animals and plants and talk about changes and why they occur. They will explore the world at their doorstep, yet investigate our diverse world though exploring other cultures. They are also encouraged to explore and use technology for a range of purposes.

Expressive Arts and Design

Your child will have opportunities to be creative, to sing, dance, paint, draw and make music, to experiment with imaginative play and engage in role play. During the Foundation Stage, many of these aspects of learning are brought together effectively through playing and talking.

Learning how to learn

In order to enable and support your child to be confident in their own learning, we provide a safe environment which will encourage them to develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning. Children develop the ability to play, explore and engage across all areas of the early years curriculum. They will develop motivation by achieving what they set out to do. They learn to create and think critically by offering their own ideas and deciding how they want to do things. These are the skills which will sustain learning for life!

Future Learning

Our EYFS is the bedrock of the national curriculum which children will follow from Years 1 to 6. It carefully prepares children for the learning journey ahead. Within a nurturing and play-based EYFS environment, children will have learned basic and transferable skills; absorbed relevant knowledge and grown in maturity, as well as developing a thirst for learning. Further details of your child's learning at this important stage and how it has prepared them for the journey ahead can be found below within our Learning Journey documents.

Parents

No two children are the same. They are beautifully unique and we value their differences. To help us get to know your child fully, the contributions of parents and carers are extremely valuable and so we encourage parents to share their child's first precious years in school through their Home-School Learning Journal. Also, please let your child's teachers know of any new things they can do, verbally or even on a sticky note! We understand that you may have specific worries or concerns from time-to-time and our experienced staff are always happy to talk to you.

We welcome children into the Hatton Hill School Nursery the term after they turn three. If you would like your child to attend nursery prior to this, the Hatton Hill Childcare Partnership offers places for children from the age of two. Together we can help children develop and thrive. For more details, please visit: https://firststepsenterprise.co.uk/childcare/hattonhill-litherland-nursery/