EYFS - CEIS Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact
CEIS Curriculum Intent – What are we trying to achieve at Chapel End through the curriculum?
Children have a natural desire to explore, communicate, create and learn. Play engages children’s bodies, minds and emotions. In playing children can learn to interact with others and be part of a community, to experience and manage feelings, and to be in control and confident about themselves and their abilities. At Chapel End Early Years, we strive to ensure children feel safe and confident so they can explore and play. Our aim is to create a learning environment and build relationships which support, enhance and stimulate a child’s curiosity, confidence and individual competency to flourish regardless of backgrounds, circumstances or needs. We aim to work in partnership with parents and carers to encourage resilient, independent, enthusiastic learners who thrive and reach their full potential from their various starting points.
It is our intent: that children who enter our EYFS begin their learning journey by developing physically, verbally, cognitively and emotionally whilst also embedding a positive attitude to school and a lifelong love of learning; - to teach children to self-regulate and successfully manage their emotions through ‘The Zones of Regulation’. The Zones teaches self-regulation by categorizing all the different ways we feel and the states of alertness we experience into four coloured zones. It provides strategies to teach children how to become more aware of and independent in controlling their behaviour. This comes quite naturally to some, but for others it is a skill that needs to be taught and then practiced. This is the goal of The Zones of Regulation; - to take into consideration all children’s starting points and needs as they begin their learning journey. Every child will have access to a broad, balanced and differentiated play-based curriculum which prepares them for now and for the future in terms of opportunities and experiences; - and to prepare children to reach the Early Learning goals at the end of the Foundation Stage and ensure children make at least good progress from their starting points. We work closely with our KS1 colleagues to ensure a seamless transition into Year 1 for all children.
Following personal interests and individual needs, allows us to plan and provide opportunities throughout our EYFS curriculum to support learning and development and for all children to achieve their next steps. Our enabling indoor and outdoor environments are designed to inspire children’s innate desire to learn.
Our EYFS curriculum aims to enable our children to be: Competent and creative learners; who are curious about the world around them. Secure and confident; who enjoy coming to school and learning new skills and knowledge building on their existing learning. Skilful communicators; who connect with others through language and play, ensuring that they play in a language rich environment.
CEIS Curriculum Implementation – How do we plan to deliver this?
We have a curriculum that is child-centred and largely follow a ‘teaching in the moment’ approach. Adults create enabling environments that are equipped to meet the needs, interests and stages of development of each child. Adults move to where the children are engaged and interact with them as they play, making the most of children’s natural desire to explore and learn to enhance the learning whenever a “teachable moment” is spotted.
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. This is made up of four overriding principles which our early year’s education is based upon: Unique Child – Every child is unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. Positive Relationships – Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. Enabling Environments – Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and carers. Learning and Development – Children develop and learn in different ways. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early year’s provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Children benefit from meaningful learning across the curriculum and staff plan resourcefully for opportunities for communication, sustained shared thinking and physical challenge to build on existing skills taking into account the Characteristics of Effective Learning. These are: Playing and Exploring – children investigate and experience things, and have a go; Active Learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements; Creating and Thinking Critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things.
The learning experiences within our Early Years are linked to the seven areas of learning and development within the EYFS. These areas are split into three prime areas and four specific areas. The three prime areas are those which the children should develop first and are considered most essential for the healthy development and future learning of our children. These include: Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language and Physical Development. As children grow and make progress in the prime areas, this will help them to naturally develop skills within the four specific areas. These are: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.
We regularly assess where the children are, using ‘Development Matters’ and then ensure our planning, adult interactions and enabling learning environments; including continuous provision, support children to reach their next steps. We will plan and deliver interventions for groups or individuals if and when necessary.
CEIS Curriculum Impact – What difference is this making to our children?
We strive to ensure that our children’s progress across the EYFS curriculum is good from their varied starting points, that children reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception and are at least in line with National Expectations. Evidence in children’s special books and writing journals support all areas of the EYFS curriculum. We understand that when assessing children against the Early Learning Goals, there will be children who are awarded the same level but who are working at differing stages within that level. Effective communication between staff is therefore essential to achieve an effective transition for every child and to plan accordingly for the next stage of their learning journey.
The impact of our curriculum is measured by assessment procedures which allow us to measure outcomes against all schools nationally. We measure the percentage of pupils achieving age related expectations throughout the academic year and put supportive interventions in place if and when required. Class teachers use observations to make formative assessments which inform planning and ensure that all children build on their current knowledge and skills at a good pace.
Summative assessment compares children’s attainment to age related expectations using month bands in Development Matters. This is tracked using a bespoke assessment system to ensure rates of progress are at least good for all children, including vulnerable groups such as those with SEND, EAL, disadvantaged or summer born children. Our assessment judgements are regularly moderated both in school and externally with local schools. We also partake in local authority moderation which has validated our school judgements.
The impact of our curriculum will also be measured by how effectively it helps our pupils develop into well rounded, resilient and motivated individuals who embody our values and carry with them the knowledge, skills and attitudes which will make them lifelong learners.
Download the document below to read about our EYFS curriculum in its entirety.
