About the EYFS

Foundation Stage Curriculum

In the Foundation Stage we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). We support our children to become independent and collaborative learners by providing a range of activities and experiences. Through these experiences we encourage children to take risks, discover and make links between their explorations.

Within the EYFS there are seven areas of learning and development with all areas of learning and development important and inter-connected. The areas are split into prime and specific. The prime areas of learning are fundamental to children’s successful learning in the specific areas and are vital as they lay the foundations for children’s success in all other areas of learning and life.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

o    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.

Physical Development

o    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.

Communication and Language

o    Communication and Language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

The specific areas provide the range of experiences and opportunities for children to broaden their knowledge and skills:

•          Literacy
•          Mathematics
•          Understanding the World
•          Expressive Arts and Design

Specific Areas of Learning

Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Within the classroom we encourage this with the use of Talk for Writing, daily stories and singing. At Gerrans school we follow the UK's leading synthetic phonics programme, Read Write Inc. 

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. We follow the Master the Curriculum scheme which links to White Rose Maths.

Understanding of 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, and design and technology.

Throughout the year we address the different areas through a range of themes that are initiated by the children. Staff carefully observe the interests, ages and stages of learning of the children and plan activities and topics to capture those interests and ensure they build on what children can do and take their learning forward.

Tapestry

This is a platform that we use and share with our parents. Tapestry allows us to keep a record of children's achievement (`Wow moments`). It connects parents and teachers on a student's conduct and performance through real-time reports as well as a feed for photos and videos during the school day.

Special visits, family and friends

We enjoy welcoming guests and visitors from the local community into our classroom to make our learning more exciting and real. We have been lucky enough to visit the Roseland Farm, go on a whole school trip to see the Pantomime at the Hall for Cornwall, sung carols with the rest of the school around the village on our Santa run and had a visit from St Mawes Fire and Rescue Service. Before the end of the year we will have visited the Portscatho Harbour Master, and had a trip to Woodland Valley Farm, home of the Cornwall Beaver Project. 

We work closely with parents and this is encouraged from before our children start at Gerrans School. We have a transition day in June but prospective families are always welcome to visit or to have taster sessions. We have a close connection to our local playgroup.

At Gerrans School we strive to cater for the individual needs and interests of our children. Children may choose from a wide and varied selection of activities:

• Creating imaginative games in the role play
• Sharing stories and books together in the book nook
• Using a variety of construction toys to create interesting models and structures both inside and outside
• Choose their own mark making tools and media to develop early writing and drawing skills
• Get messy with sensory play such as snow, gloop and shaving foam
• Paint, print and explore colour, shape, pattern and texture
• Get creative with dough, collage materials and junk modelling.
• Explore and investigate sand and water
• Build dens and structures with loose parts outside
• Enjoy our mud kitchen
• Make roads and ride the trikes and scooters around the garden 
• Play in our woodland area and use our climbing walls and bars.

Outdoor Learning

We have a large outside area and children are encouraged to learn through investigating their environment, building confidence, resilience and independence. We provide children with waterproof trousers (or they can bring their own) so that they can get active and dirty and encourage children to bring in their own wellies so that we can use the outside space all year round.

Additionally, we teach our children about the importance of a healthy diet, keeping fit and being clean. We provide a snack during the morning where children are welcome to have a piece of fruit and milk.  Children bring in their own water bottles which can be refilled in the classroom.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. All schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers must follow the EYFS, including childminders, preschools, nurseries and school reception classes.

 The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework supports an integrated approach to early learning and care. It gives all professionals a set of common principles and commitments to deliver quality early education and childcare experiences to all children.

As well as being the core document for all professionals working in the foundation years, the EYFS framework gives mums and dads confidence that regardless of where they choose for their child’s early education, they can be assured that the same statutory commitments and principles will underpin their child’s learning and development experience.