Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of MAPS, Nursery and Reception classes. We work closely together to provide a caring ans stimulating learning environment and to meet the needs of each individual child. We want the children to enjoy their first experience of school life ans to give them enthusiasm as they begin their learning journey.

At Matthew Arnold Primary School we aim high and want every child to experience success; our motto is ‘Developing True Potential’.

Every child has access to a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum which prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for now and the future. We aim to tailor our curriculum to individual need, interest and aptitude to fulfil every child’s potential.

The intent of the EYFS curriculum has taken into consideration the starting points and needs of our pupils as they join Matthew Arnold. Focus is placed upon the following

• Developing speech and language issues
• Expanding and developing vocabulary
• Creating first hand experiences to help with understanding of the world
• Reading is a priority and can be found celebrated and promoted in all classrooms. Quality reading areas are available in all settings. This includes reading books home, stay and play sessions and a whole school approach to T4W and development/promotion of quality texts to build stories and traditional tales
• Phonics is also embedded in the EYFS curriculum, creating grouped and daily opportunities to develop phonetic awareness. Building words and expanding vocabulary is a focus within the EYFS curriculum. This is achieved through continuous provision, quality texts and enhancing the learning environment (including capturing words, phrases etc on the Talk for Write  ‘washing lines’.
• Mark making books have been introduced and regular mark making opportunities are captured and assessed.
• Social and emotional development is supported through behaviour management (zones of regulation) which has been adapted for EYFS. Resources has been provided, rooms altered and practice adapted to accommodate the needs of pupils.
• Early mathematics is promoted indoors and outdoors through play, songs, rhymes and repetition. Significant investment in indoor and outdoor provision has been implemented to support this

The Foundation Stage applies to children from two years of age (two year old funded places) to the end of the reception year. In our Early Years setting, we have 40 part time two year old places which consists of 20 part time morning and 20 part time afternoon places along with 52 part time nursery places split to provide 26 morning and 26 afternoon places. Our reception has one class and offers parents full time places for their children from September if they wish to take it up.

The Foundation Stage is important in its own right, and in preparing children for later schooling. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum sets out what is expected of most children by the end of the Foundation Stage.

Some of the children joining our school have already learnt a great deal whilst others have had limited experiences. A majority have been to one of the pre-school setting as in MAPS or Nursery class.

The early year's education we offer our children is based on the following principles:

• A unique child
• Positive relationships
• Enable environments
• Learning and development

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum

We follow the 'Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum' and provide a play-based and experiential learning environment, combined with focused teaching and basic skills, to ensure our children make rapid progress before moving onto Year 1. The children are based in their own setting taking whereby they have plenty of opportunities to access both the indoor and outdoor learning provisions as they are engaged in self-initiated and free flow activities throughout the setting.

There are seven areas of learning and development in the EYFS. Children should develop the 3 prime areas first. These prime areas are the most essential for your child's healthy development and future learning. As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in the 4 specific areas.

These 7 areas are used to plan your child's learning experiences. Our understanding of your child will enable us to make sure that the learning is suited to their unique needs.

           Please click on the links below for further information for the different areas of                        Early Years Foundation Stage.