top of page

Curriculum

Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception)

​

Statement of Intent

​

We provide a full and interesting curriculum; to prepare children for their future education and life skills; and, to give them skills and enthusiasm to pursue learning for the rest of their lives. We therefore provide a balance between child-led and adult learning opportunities within a calm, happy and stimulating environment.

​

We aim for all children to achieve the Curriculum Goals set out below which include the Early Learning Goals plus additional knowledge and skills bespoke to Christ Church. The children at Christ Church will also understand the core values of our school and demonstrate them through their words and actions.

​

Our core values are: honesty, respect, perseverance, kindness, love and friendship.

 

Our Curriculum Offer

  

End of Reception Curriculum Goals

EYFS Prime Areas of Learning

EYFS Curriculum Overview

​

Communication and Language

 

Attention and Understanding ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and            during whole class discussions and small group interactions such as story time and worship.

 - Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding;

 - Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers, taking turns, listening and               responding appropriately.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will also:

  • experience listening and attention activities to develop early phonic skills within our Nursery setting as a foundation for future learning.

 

Speaking ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary;

 - Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction,             rhymes and poems when appropriate;

 - Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present, and future tenses       and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will also:

  • be able to ask questions to find out more about things that interest them including who, what and why questions and respond appropriately to questions asked.

  • have clear pronunciation of sounds and words.

  • be able to recite 8 rhymes and poems.

      (Research shows that children who can recite 8 rhymes/ poems go on to become strong readers).

  • retell simple stories using repetition and story vocabulary.

      develop and extend the vocabulary range to include the use of connectives and adjectives.

  • use words in different contexts correctly.

 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

 

Self-Regulation ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others, and begin to regulate their behaviour accordingly;

 - Set and work towards simple goals, being able to wait for what they want and control their immediate impulses when               appropriate;

 - Give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in activity, and show an

   ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • take responsibility for their actions and be aware of the consequences of their actions.

  • be able to understand and express their own feelings and emotions.

  • show compassion and empathy for others.

  • understand that others may be different from themselves and have different views and opinions which must be respected.

  • Understand that learning is a life skill

 

Managing Self ELG

 

 Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Be confident to try new activities and show independence, resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge; develop an ‘I     can’ attitude.

 - Explain the reasons for rules, know right from wrong and try to behave accordingly;

 - Manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing, going to the toilet, and understanding the                   importance of healthy food choices, exercise and dental health.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • nurture high levels of self-esteem so that the children are confident to express their individual choices and preferences, using an increasing range of vocabulary.

  • demonstrate a can do attitude to learning new skills and knowledge.

  • be confident to try out new experiences and be resilient enough to try again if at first they do not succeed.

 

 

Building Relationships ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Work and play cooperatively and take turns with others;

 - Form positive attachments to adults and friendships with peers;

 - Show sensitivity to their own and to others’ needs.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • will be confident to speak to familiar adults but will have an understanding of stranger danger.

  • will know how to keep themselves safe such as being able to explain how to cross the road or contact the emergency services.

  • show empathy and be able to understand that others may have views and opinions that differ from their own.

  • begin to understand the meaning of the school core values: friendship, love, kindness, respect, perseverance and honesty.

  • begin to apply the core values to their own choices and actions.

 

Physical Development

 

Gross Motor Skills ELG

​

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others;

 - Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing;

 - Move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing, go up and down steps

 

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • have good control and coordination of their bodies including gross and fine motor skills through their engagement and enjoyment of physical activities through learning and playing outdoors including riding bicycles and scooters.

  • engage in a wide range of activities to ensure good muscle development, core strength, stability, spatial awareness and agility.

  • enjoy physical outdoor activity and engage willingly in moderate and vigorous physical activity.

  • build stamina so that they can sustain physical activity for increasing periods of time.

 

Fine Motor Skills ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - hold a pencil effectively in preparation for fluent writing

 - using the tripod grip in almost all cases;

 - use a range of small tools, including scissors, paint brushes and cutlery confidently and competently

 - begin to show accuracy and care when drawing.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • develop hand eye coordination so that they can manipulate simple tools and handle with control small part activities i.e. cut around shapes and follow a pattern.

  • build stamina so that they can sustain activity for increasing periods of time.

 

Specific Areas of Learning                            

 Literacy

 Comprehension ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and            recently introduced vocabulary;

 - Anticipate – where appropriate – key events in stories;

 - Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and             during role-play.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • know that books are read from front to back and that the words and pictures on the pages convey meaning.

  • have a selection of favourite books that they enjoy.

  • listen with interest to books and stories that are read/told to them and ask /answer questions about what was read.

  • have an enjoyment of books and texts such that they are motivated to retell and explore stories through puppets and role play.

 

Word Reading ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs;

 - Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending;

 - Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception       words.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • Read simple text with increasing accuracy and confidence.

  • Use finger/ word matching, recognising sight vocabulary and decoding unfamiliar printed words.

  • develop an increased range of vocabulary through exposure to a word rich learning environment

  • recognise the alphabet and understand that there are capital and lower case letters and they have a purpose.

  • know the name and sound of each letter. (RW Inc.)

 

Writing ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed and positioned

 - Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters;

 - Write simple phrases and sentences that can be ready by others.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • be able to verbalise a sentence, hold the sentence and write the sentence so that it can be read by others.

  • see themselves as writers and that writing is a positive activity that allows them to have a voice through text.

  • to engage in writing activities selecting and using a wide range of writing materials to make marks for meaning.

  • be able to write words using key sounds in sequence. CVC words.

  • be able to spell and write red words suited to RW Inc.

  • be able to use Fred Talk to aid spelling.

 

Mathematics

 

Number ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number;

 - Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5 (Autumn Term) and 10 (Summer term) - Reception

 - Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts)       and some number bonds to 10, including double facts.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • correctly form digits 1-9 in numerical form with the support of Ten Town Rhymes.

  • begin to use and understand the language of reasoning and problem solving.

  • Use mathematical symbols to record number sentences for addition and subtraction.

 

Numerical Patterns ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system;

 - Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than or the same as the     other quantity;

 - Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be       distributed equally.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • know the KIRFS for Reception.

  • begin to use and understand the language of reasoning and problem solving.

  • recognise maths in the environment including numbers, shapes and patterns.

  • create and copy repeating patterns.

 

In addition the children at Christ Church will learn about shape, space and measure:

  • understand and use an increasing range of vocabulary involving measure

  • use the vocabulary of prepositional language.

  • explore 3D shape and to be exposed to names and simple properties.

  • know the days of the week

  • use the language of time sequencing

  • explore capacity through water and sand

 

 

Understanding the World

 

Past and Present ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society;

 - Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been     read in class;

 - Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling;

 

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • have a sense of themselves within the family.

 

People Culture and Communities ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts, and maps;

 - Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their       experiences and what has been read in class;

 - Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from       stories, non-fiction texts and – when appropriate – maps and show respect for others who may be different or have different       beliefs and cultures.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • gain an understanding of the wider world through our link to a school in Kenya.

  • know that they live in England and where they are in the world.

  • explore their family unit and the people within it, including immediate family and community and explore the diversity of family units.

  • know that different members of the community have different beliefs, religions, traditions and celebrate in different ways

 

The Natural World ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants; understanding that       they are part of a bigger world.

 - Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on

   their experiences and what has been read in class;

 - Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing         states of matter.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • learn about our world and how to take care of it through class based learning and forest school sessions.

  • care for the environment.

  • develop curiosity for how things work

  • develop an understanding of seasonal changes.

  • ask ‘why?’ questions about topics that interest them

  • explore the passing of time and how things have changed

  • explore a range of materials and forces to develop vocabulary and an understanding of simple properties.

  • Observe and interact with natural processes such as melting, vibrations, light travelling, shadow formation , magnets and floating and sinking

 

Expressive Arts and Design

 

Creating with Materials ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form, and           function;

 - Share their creations, explaining the process they have used;

 - Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • experience a range of art work through the creation of an art gallery or visit to a gallery.

  • use this experience to create their own art work for public display

  • use a range of media to make recognisable images that represent their own ideas

  • use their developing knowledge of the properties of familiar materials to make appropriate selections for a given purpose

  • explore colour, texture and material.

 

Being Imaginative and Expressive ELG

 

Children at the expected level of development will:

 - Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher;

 - Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs;

 - Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and – when appropriate try to move in time with music.

​

In addition the children at Christ Church will:

  • experience creative arts through a wide range of play based activities.

  • listen to and dance to music, look at and create their own art, act out and explore stories and themes

  • use role play and drama thus enabling them to express themselves through a range of media.

  • re-enact familiar stories through role play and to generate their own stories through deconstructed role play.

  • to generate a simple sequence of movements in response to a piece of music.

  • dance and retell simple stories through the arts.

 

 

​

 

Implementation

​

We provide a range of learning opportunities within a calm, happy and stimulating environment. We believe children should have the opportunity to learn through play and that learning should be fun, engaging and suitably challenging.

 

There are seven areas of learning in the Early Years Framework

The three prime areas (Communication & Language, Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development) are crucial for igniting children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. The three prime areas are strengthened and applied through the four specific areas (Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design). 

 

Reading

Reading is an important life skill and is the key to learning in all curriculum areas. We provide a text rich environment where children are exposed to a wide range of stories, poems, songs and rhymes. Enjoyment of books at an early age is the foundation for children to go on to be good readers and achieve academic success.

The first step towards children reading for themselves is to recognise that print has meaning and letters relate to sounds.

 

Phonics

Phonics is the knowledge of letters and the sounds they make. At Christ Church (Church of England) Infant School and Nursery phonics is taught using the Read, Write Inc. programme.

​

The teaching of phonics begins in Nursery where children are exposed to a growing number of words through role-play, discussion and questioning. The emphasis is placed on developing the children’s love of reading through enticing story and poetry times. Children move on to learn, recognise and say the sounds of letters with the help of RWInc mnemonics before beginning to blend sounds into words allowing them to read simple cvc words e.g. cat. Throughout Reception differentiated phonic work will be set to support the level that the children are working at. All pupils receive focussed phonic teaching daily

​

Forest School

It is important that children are able to access learning opportunities within the classroom and the natural environment. The children are exposed to a variety of activities and learning opportunities in our outdoor classrooms and in addition are taught through ‘forest schools’ which take the children into the natural environment either within the school grounds or on planned visits to the junior site where the ancient woodland within the grounds is used to support learning.

 

Impact

​

Through the varied and exciting learning opportunities that have been designed to embrace the children’s interests we aim for all of our children:

  • To attain the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception

  • To have made significant progress in achieving the additional curriculum goals that are bespoke to the curriculum at Christ Church.

  • To be ready for their transition to Year 1 and the next stage in their learning journey.

​

​

​

bottom of page