EYFS Curriculum Intent Statement
Curriculum Intent
At Humberstone Infant Academy, the curriculum is designed by leaders with the specific needs of our pupils in mind. It reflects our school ethos of excellence, our school values and is highly ambitious The curriculum has been carefully sequenced to provide all pupils with the foundational skills, knowledge and understanding yjay they need to be successful in key stage one and beyond. Through the curriculum, children acquire the important knowledge and skills of early reading, early letter formation and writing and foundational knowledge of numbers. There is a strong focus on developing oracy and language and high expectations of talk for all groups of children.
The golden threads of the whole school subject-based curriculum have been carefully planned by leaders to be established in EYFS. For example, children begin to learn the concept of past and present which is the knowledge that underpins the later History curriculum. Children learn about seasons, the weather and growing as the building blocks for later scientific knowledge.
The EYFS curriculum provides a range of meaningful and challenging experiences which go beyond the Early Learning Goals and builds cultural capital. The curriculum begins by embedding childrens’ understanding of their local area including trips and visits which support curriculum knowledge and their engagement in the world beyond the classroom. The curriculum also places an emphasis on learning through a range of well chosen and carefully sequenced texts, which help to support cultural capital and to develop knowledge and understanding of the world. The curriculum reflects the whole school belief in the central role of Oracy in developing effective communicators and learners.
There are detailed plans for the use and development of the indoor and outdoor provision which make expectations for learning, vocabulary and interactions clear in each of the areas of learning. Through accessing this exceptionally high quality learning environment, children have meaningful opportunities to learn and explore through play. We value imagination and creativity and seek to create a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning through a well planned continuous indoor and outdoor provision.
Implementation
Pupils learn through a balance of challenging and creative child-initiated and adult-directed activities and experiences. Children are supported in learning to work together, managing their feelings and asking questions through skilled adult facilitated play. Learning across all areas of the EYFS curriculum is supported by our ‘language rich’ environment. Staff are knowledgeable in the vocabulary that has been planned for each topic and the areas of learning and how to use this meaningfully in their interactions with the children every day. This includes having vocabulary displayed throughout the provision and through the choice of songs, nursery rhymes and stories that are regularly shared with children. Staff ensure that interactions allow children to flourish and gather words at a pace, in order to become confident communicators. Alongside powerful subject knowledge, equal importance is placed on teaching children the characteristics of effective learning, such as sustained concentration, to keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, asking questions and investigating and developing their own ideas and strategies for doing things.
The school teaches early reading through the Little Wandle Phonics programme which is a whole school approach. This programme was chosen as it is designed around the seven key features of effective phonics practise. All reading resources reflect the LW approach and are phonetically decodable. The school has invested considerable professional learning time and providing appropriate texts to ensure that all staff are well trained and have the appropriate resources, knowledge and skills to implement this approach effectively. We have high expectations that all children can keep up with the reading programme and provide additional support immediately where children are at risk of falling behind. An early love of reading is of equal importance and this is reflected in the children’s access to a high quality, rich and diverse book corners, a recently restocked and refurbished school library and time within the curriculum for teachers to share stories from our reading spine.
Mathematical subject knowledge is taught daily through the White Rose Maths Programme using direct teaching and daily practise. We develop confident mathematicians by providing opportunities to further embed and apply mathematical knowledge and skills in the well-planned maths provision using guided and independent learning approaches. This encourages mathematical thinking through exploration, problem solving and by making links to real life experiences.
Whilst the curriculum itself is the progression model, we value the assessment of and for learning carried out regularly by our knowledgeable and well trained staff. A key part of formative assessment is the teacher’s role and their responsive approach to teaching. Teachers carefully check understanding using a range of well chosen and evidenced strategies in order to respond to pupils’ needs and so that knowledge and skills are better embedded over time.
At Humberstone Infant Academy we understand the importance of parental engagement and believe that our parents have a crucial role to play in their children’s education. We work hard to create strong partnerships between home and school. Which has included providing parent workshops on specific areas of the curriculum, inviting parents to take part in whole school events such as STEM week and world book day. Parents are warmly welcomed into celebrations such as the Nativity in the local church and sports days.
Impact
Regular monitoring by leaders shows that there is a high standard of enriched play-based exploration alongside excellent teaching and assessment throughout the early years. This means that by the time the children leave the EYFS, the children have gained knowledge and skills across the areas of learning and are motivated and independent learners with strong communication skills. As a result, the Early Years Good Level of Development (GLD) has consistently been well above national average, since data reporting resumed, post pandemic.
The impact of our early years provision and teaching is also measured through regular learning walks and book scrutinies. This shows us that the majority of children develop phonic knowledge and blending abilities in order to read age-appropriate reading books with confidence. Progress is also measured by tracking book phases and using half-termly phonics assessments. Our data shows that children that have been identified as needing additional support with reading make accelerated progress. This means that children are on track to achieve age-related expectations in phonics and word reading.
Alongside the teaching of phonics, the wide range of strategies used to develop fine motor skills supports pupils with developing writing. Due to the high expectations of the frequency and accuracy of writing, with adult guidance and across the provision, most children are able to write words and sentences in preparation for the Year 1 English curriculum. As a result, the outcomes for Early Learning Goals in reading and writing are above the national average and have remained so over time.
The school’s high focus on Oracy lays important foundational knowledge and skills for pupils who arrive in school from a diverse range of backgrounds and with varied starting points. The high expectation of learning to talk and learning through talk alongside the meticulously planned teaching of new vocabulary means that children leave EYFS able to speak in sentences, having established the conversions of effective talk and discussion having developed excellent vocabulary knowledge. As a result, outcomes for Communication Language and Literacy are well above the national averages currently and over time.
Due to the well- sequenced Maths programme, children develop a deep understanding of numbers to 10 and the ability to count beyond 20. They can compare quantities and explore and represent patterns. This all ensures that outcomes in Maths are above National.
Assessment of children’s developing knowledge and skills is through observation, adult interaction and discussion with the children within the different areas of the provision. Regular checking of children’s understanding shows us that they gain the essential knowledge and understanding of the world including the scientific, historical and geographical aspects that lay the foundations for the Key Stage 1 curriculum. Observations tell us that children are able to use outdoor play equipment and participate in team games safely and with confidence which develops strength and agility. Children are able to talk about what makes them healthy, build relationships with adults and peers and co-operate within their play.