The Greenfield Curriculum -
Early Years Foundation Stage
Greenfield Early Years Foundation Stage is a safe and happy place to learn, work and play. In partnership with families the team are fully committed to providing an engaging and enriching curriculum. Children in Nursery and Reception are guided on a nurturing journey enabling them to become more confident, inquisitive, imaginative and positive learners. The fully inclusive and personalised curriculum promotes independence and encourages children to enjoy challenges and to persevere. We celebrate the development of skills and knowledge to ensure our children have firm foundations and are well prepared for the next steps in their school journey.
At Greenfield we follow the Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This Framework specifies the requirements for learning and development in the Early Years and it is organised into seven Areas of Learning and Development:
Prime Areas
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language development
Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Through a well organised, stimulating environment, the children create their own play and will demonstrate positive characteristics of effective learning – playing and exploring (engagement), active learning (motivation) and creating and thinking critically (thinking).
We plan a broad and balanced curriculum that values children’s prior learning and cultural backgrounds. Our topics are based around a selection of key texts planned to provide a range of enjoyment, vocabulary and experiences for the child. Our topics are also planned to ensure appropriate depth and challenge.
Our carefully planned lessons aim to capture the children’s attention and imagination and create a sense of awe and wonder. We listen to children’s ideas and assess what they already know about a topic/subject. We then use this to help shape the topic and plan experiences building on children’s prior learning, skills and knowledge. Communication and Language, Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development are at the heart of all learning.
The timetable is organised effectively to ensure a balance of teacher directed and child initiated activities. Learning through play is vital. We use the environment to ensure the children’s needs are met through continuous provision and enhanced provision, and by following their interests. Continuous provision challenges the children to push boundaries, take risks and create their own learning paths.
Staff teach objectives through whole class, small group, and teacher directed activities and by going into continuous provision to observe children’s play and move learning forward at that point. Staff record a ‘snapshot’ of children’s learning to build an overall picture and set next steps in the moment to move learning on. Evidence is kept in Learning Journals and in Reception children are also given a maths and writing evidence book. Formative assessment takes place within every session and helps staff to identify children who require further challenges or additional support to achieve the objective.
At Greenfield we follow RWI and each day children in Reception access a daily Phonics lesson. Children's progress is tracked regularly and lessons are differentiated to meet the needs of all learners. In addition children also access a daily writing or maths lesson and are read with every week. Bespoke interventions provide opportunities for children to revisit previous teaching, reinforce class teaching and to support children in achieving a Good Level of Development.
We regularly review our curriculum to make sure it meets the needs of our pupils.
Our updated EYFS curriculum is available to view here:
EYFS Long Term Plan (Nursery and Reception)
You can read more information about the topics here:
