Welcome to Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Green Oaks Primary Academy.

We have two Early Years classes, our Reception class and our Nursery class. The Early Years children also have the benefit of sharing a large undercover space and their own garden. In the EYFS children learn through play and first-hand experiences. We focus on how children learn, as well as what they learn.   

      

EYFS Curriculum 

There are seven areas of learning that make up the EYFS curriculum. All these areas of learning are important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas, the prime areas, are: 

• Communication and language 

• Physical development 

• Personal, social and emotional development. 

Children are also taught in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are: 

• Literacy 

• Mathematics 

• Understanding the world 

• Expressive arts and design. 

These 7 curriculum areas are underpinned by the Three Characteristics of effective teaching and 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. 

These characteristics of learning link in to our whole school Skillsbuilder scheme as well as underpinning our school values and attributes. 

How your child will learn in the Early Years  

 

• Through independent play and exploring both indoors and outdoors​. Teachers will plan a range of activities that cover all the curriculum areas for the children to choose from over the session. 

• Short whole class teaching such as Phonics, Maths, Reading, ​ PSED and Understanding Of The World ​ 

• Adult focussed tasks carried out in groups, 1:1 or independently ​ 

• Having a snack and social times with friends ​​supports the children’s communication and language skills as well as their personal, social and emotional development  

• Outdoor Learning in our ‘forest school’ area  

 

Learning through play 

A common misconception that occurs within EYFS is that children ‘just play’. 

Play in the Early Years Foundation Stage is essential to young children. Through play, children will learn and develop in all seven areas of EYFS. Children will be able to engage in creativity and team-building skills with solo and group play, all of which benefit their language development and social skills. 

By our fantastic Early Years Team supporting play-based activities both within the indoor learning areas and the outdoor environment, children will be given opportunities to explore new ideas, engage in problem-solving activities, and learn to be more independent. 

How we capture your child’s learning  

• Observations  of children at play- this is recorded on Tapestry​ 

• Spontaneous and narrative observations- also recorded on Tapestry ​ 

• Photographs of children engaged in active learning​ 

• Children’s comments​ 

• Learning at home- Comments and observations from parents and carers that are uploaded to Tapestry ​ 

 

Tapestry   

Tapestry is a secure online learning journal that we use to document your child’s learning across both Nursery and Reception. We document their learning through observations by taking photos of the children carrying out activities or work they have produced, we record videos and we make written notes about what they are learning in the observations.  These observations then feed in to the teacher’s assessment of your child’s learning.  

Tapestry is an app or website that can be accessed from you smart phone, tablet or laptop. We actively encourage you to upload your own photos and videos from home, we love to see what they have been doing.  

 

Tapestry for parents/relatives: Setting up your account 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ROkDnb4I0&list=PLthyVDX1AWQJeGUqAna3ZEhEqbgjdx0Yt 

Tapestry for parents/relatives: Adding an observation 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=espJ96TJHV8&list=PLthyVDX1AWQJeGUqAna3ZEhEqbgjdx0Yt&index=5 

 

By the end of your child’s early years experience at green oaks, your child should:  

- have developed a ‘have a go’ attitude when investigating and experiencing new things  

- be able to concentrate for longer periods of time and be able to keep on trying if they find things difficult 

- be developing their own ideas about things and start to make links between ideas 

 

All of these things will support them with their transition to Year 1 and the National curriculum where they will move in to more formal learning. 

 

Parent Quotes  

“My child has really come on since starting at Green Oaks” 

“Lovely staff, we are made to feel very welcome”