Our Early Years Foundation Stage Vision

In early years we work in a considerate and respectful way to make children and staff feel happy and safe. We use our secure environment and flexible child-led planning to engage children and promote curiosity, communication and independence. Our children will be challenged as well as self-motivated to make progress. They will develop as confident and enthusiastic learners with the basic skills and knowledge to build upon.

The Foundation Stage Curriculum

 

The Foundation Stage begins when children enter pre-school provision. This includes Child-minders, Nursery, Pre-school and Playgroups. The last year of the Foundation Stage is often referred to as the Reception year.

 

The Foundation Stage curriculum consists of seven learning areas; 

 

Prime Areas

1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development
2. Physical Development
3. Communication and Language

 

Specific  Areas

1. Literacy
2. Mathematics
3. Understanding the World
4. Expressive Arts and Design

 

 

Learning in the Foundation Stage

 

At The Crescent Primary School we believe in providing the children in the reception year with a fun and exciting experience where they are encouraged to talk, discover, create, practise, rehearse, explore, investigate and learn through their play.

We will give them opportunities to work and play with adults and with friends, learn independence, learn indoors and outdoors, make a mess and tidy up!  The children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning by making choices about the areas they play in. This is called Child Initiated Learning.

The Learning Environment

 

Our learning environment is welcoming, attractive, stimulating, fun and exciting and has been carefully planned and organised into clear zones, which incorporate each of the seven areas of learning and development.

 

In each zone all of the resources and equipment are clearly labelled and accessible for the children with space provided to display models and keep any work in progress. We encourage the children to be independent and they are able to collect resources for themselves to complete an activity. The resources and provision are regularly replenished and enhanced by staff in order to cater to children’s interests. They are also flexible, enabling them to be used in different areas and in different ways. The Areas have also been carefully arranged to allow children space for activity, rest and refreshment.

 

Our outdoor area is just as important as the inside and the children are able to move freely between the two on a daily basis during child initiated learning time. We also encourage children to use this space whatever the weather!