Welcome to Robins Class

Robin Class Early Years Curriculum

St Mary’s Foundation Stage is part of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School where all reception aged children aged 4 to 5 years are taught in Robin Class.  In July 2019, we were graded as ‘Good’ Early Year’s Foundation Stage Unit. 

Here at St Mary’s, we believe that the first years at school are a fundamental stage in your child’s life.  One of our main aims is to ensure children have a love for learning as soon as possible which will then stay with the through the rest of their time here at our school.

By the end of our reception year we intend the children to be confident, articulate, successful learners who achieve through experiential learning as well as focussed activities.  We want the children to build positive relationships with adults and others and recognise their own achievements.

At St Mary’s, Axminster we provide effective learning and development in EYFS, acknowledging links between  the children and their play,  the environment in which they learn, the planning we provide and the interactions of adults and children.  We acknowledge the uniqueness of children, their desires, interests and their competence as learners – their intrinsic motivation and what children love to do.  We create an environment that enables children to follow their desires and interests and connect with their learning.  Adults build positive relationships with children, providing appropriate support to nurture and challenge children’s development and learning. 

Children’s Interests

Children have a desire to move freely and use all their senses, talk, listen ask questions and communicate, build and construct, represent and make, engage in role play, listen to and tell stories and imagine.  Our continuous provision is set up so that the children are able to follow their own interests independently.  Children’s interests are rooted in familiarity, for example, me and my family, the immediate environment and everything in it, the community and the wider world, fantasy and make believe.   

Curriculum Development

Our curriculum model starts with the continuous provision where through our high quality indoor and outdoor environment, we can support children’s interests and desires. From there we can enhance the provision by providing resource stimulus or interactive display, invite visitors in or go on visits. Here we can take interests a lot deeper.  We acknowledge that not everything can be taught through the environment so at St Mary’s we have directed activities where we teach the curriculum through focussed discussion and group activities.  Running through our curriculum is what adults say and do to support the children’s learning.

Timetable and Planning

Our timetable is set to reflect a balance of direct teaching e.g. phonics and maths, RE and UW and learning through the continuous provision (explore and learn).  Children need time and space to learn, to practise and secure their skills, knowledge and understanding.  Adults are in the environment to support the children’s learning and help develop their communication and language skills.  Much of our planning is based around children’s interests and we ensure it covers the curriculum programs of the EYFS Framework 2024.

Our EYFS Intent

In Robin Class at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we intend to ensure all children’s interests and needs are met throughout our curriculum.

 Our intent

•          Provide a safe, secure learning environment for children to develop through play to a high standard.
•          All staff and SLT have a clear vision for EYFS at St Mary’s.
•          Children gain a love for learning as soon as possible which will establish a firm foundation for the next stage of their education.
•          To encourage children to form positive relationships with others and to work cooperatively, developing their social skills.
•          Children will learn a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum which has an emphasis on the development of reading, children’s vocabulary and writing.
•          To encourage independence by allowing children to make choices and drive much of their own learning in a stimulating and nurturing environment where it is OK to make mistakes along a learning journey.
•          Children deepen their learning through focused direct teaching and continuous provision.
•          Whenever possible we provide first-hand experiences which make our curriculum purposeful and relevant
•          Ensure teaching of Phonics is at least ‘Good’ and children have books closely matched to their reading development.
•          All children to make at least expected progress in Phonics.
•          For all children to have regular and high-quality opportunities to write.
•          To increase the number of children who reach the ELGs by the end of the Reception year, particularly in reading, writing and number.
•          To increase the number of children achieving GLD each year.
•          Baseline will be undertaken within the first 4 weeks to capture the child’s starting points accurately and will be used to plan to meet their emerging needs.
•          For parents to be involved in their child’s online learning journey in EYFS and to have strong links with the school, this enabling us to gain a complete picture of their learning and developments.
•          Through our relationship with parents we help children reach their potential throughout the year, teaching those skills, concepts and values which will serve them well in future life. 

Implementation

In EYFS we support children to learn and develop by teaching, encouraging and promoting all aspects of development across the seven areas of learning.  These are split into prime areas and specific areas:

Prime areas

Communication and language

Physical development

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

Specific areas

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the world

Expressive arts and design

At St Mary’s we use these areas alongside children’s interest to ensure we celebrate each child’s uniqueness and individual’s different learning styles, skills and abilities.  We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage which state the characteristics of effective learning.  These are playing and exploring, active learning, and creativity and critical thinking.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Playing and Exploring

We provide daily opportunities to learn through play – explore and learn.  Adults support children through high quality interactions during explore and learn.  When learning through play, children are given opportunities to explore and develop learning experiences, which help them make sense of the world.   Children learn how to control themselves and understand the need for rules.  As well as this, the children are given opportunities to think creatively, alongside other children as well as on their own, communicating with others as they investigate, solve problems and learn.

Active Learning

We have a balance of adult- initiated and child initiated activities.  In phonics, maths, reading, literacy, RE, PE, Music and KW children are all taught through adult led and opportunities.  As well as this, we provide a rich provision of activities and resources in continuous provision for children to consolidate and extend their learning through play.  This encourages independence, control and enjoyment. 

Creative and Critical Thinking

When children have opportunities to play with ideas in different situations and a variety of resources, they discover connections and come to better understandings and develop new ways of doing things.  Adults support this process and enhance their ability to think critically and ask questions.  Children are given time to work through their ideas and discuss their discoveries and creations with others, sharing their understanding and knowledge. 

Impact

The impact of our curriculum is measured by assessment procedures which allow us to measure against all schools nationally. We measure the percentage of pupils achieving a ‘Good level of development’ (GLD) by the end of the Reception year.  The impact of our curriculum will also be measured by how effectively it helps our pupils develop into well rounded individuals who uphold our school values – safe, respectful and ready and carry the knowledge, skills and attitudes which will make them life-long learners.  Children are assessed through focussed activities, individual assessments and by observing them through their play.  By the end of our reception year we intend the children to know our school values, and be confident, articulate, successful learners who have positive attitudes towards learning and future life.

Knowledge and Skills