Curriculum
EYFS Curriculum
Our curriculum is tailored to each child…
Early Years Foundation Stage
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage together with elements of the philosophy and practices of Maria Montessori. Children develop at their own pace, each child’s learning and development is observed and their learning experiences and opportunities applied accordingly. Alongside the Montessori method, we also use the Jolly Phonics programme to teach the children about sounds, letters and actions.
The four guiding principles should shape practice in Early Years settings. These are:
Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers. NB. Teacher should be understood to refer to any practitioner working with the child.
Importance of learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates. (See “the characteristics of effective teaching and learning”. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The areas of learning and development :
There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.
Communication and Language
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
Further information regarding the EYFS can be found at: Early years foundation stage – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
– Statutory Framework 2023: Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
– Development Matters 2023: Development Matters – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Within SmileOn we use the following:
Class Planners
A monthly planner is devised incorporating the Early Years Foundation Stage, the children’s interests, spontaneous activities, and next steps. You may wish to look at this for reference and it can be found on the Classroom wall.
Learning Journey
All children will have an online Learning Journey documenting their development. The teachers observe the children and use their professional knowledge, recording WOW moments with photographs or a video of your child. Parents have private access to see their child’s Learning and development. The photographs will be uploaded weekly.
Work Books
Children will start these when they are ready, usually in Transition class. The workbooks consist of a My Name book, My Weekend News book and a Little Learners book (Numbers and Letters).
Early Years
The aim within the EYFS Reception class at SmileOn Nursery is to provide a firm foundation on which all aspects of education are built. We aim to provide a curriculum that is broad and balanced in content and wide-ranging in approach, helping to ensure future progress and success. We believe that we should create a learning environment that is motivating, exciting, and caring, in order to contribute to the children’s positive self-esteem and love of learning.
Main Aims
At SmileOn Nursery, we focus on:
- Facilitating the development of our children’s skills, knowledge, and attitudes in the seven areas of development, tailored to their learning needs and levels of understanding.
- Developing foundation skills that help children grow into independent and successful young learners.
- Promoting good health, emotional wellbeing, and mutual respect for others.
- Providing a happy, safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment where children can thrive.
- Working closely with parents as partners in their children’s development and learning.
The Learning Environment
At SmileOn Nursery, each area of learning is reflected in the classroom environment, with resources organized to promote independent learning. The children are responsible for their own learning environment and are encouraged to choose their own resources, fostering awareness and control of their own learning.
We maintain a high standard of display in the EYFS Reception classroom, which reflects current learning and considers the children’s interests. Children’s work is presented and displayed with care to show that their contributions are valued and important.
The Outdoors
Children have free access to the EYFS outdoor area throughout the day and are regularly taken to Wandsworth Park. Our outdoor area serves as a great backdrop for our Learning in Nature programme, promoting exploration and discovery in a natural setting.
The seven areas of Learning and Development are:
Prime Areas:
Communication and Language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a language rich environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
Physical Development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.
Specific Areas:
Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and others written materials) to ignite their interest.
Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures.
Understanding the World involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
Expressive Arts and Design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, design and technology.
Our learning experiences provide each child with opportunities to develop a number of competencies, skills and concepts across several areas of learning. It is our aim that this preparation and development across all areas of learning are delivered through planned, purposeful play-based activities, with a balance of adult.