Our EYFS Curriculum

At Collingwood Primary School, we are committed to our core values of Respect, Equality, Achievement, Cooperation and Happiness (REACH) from the very start of a child’s journey with us. Our Early Years setting provides a safe, nurturing, and exciting environment where we aim to give every child the very best beginning.

Our whole-school vision, "We live our lives with arms and minds wide open," is at the heart of our EYFS practice. Through carefully planned experiences, we encourage our pupils to feel valued and confident in exploring their environment and developing their independence and resilience.

The result of our approach is that children flourish, building positive relationships with both peers and staff. They make good progress in their learning, achieve high levels of attainment, and develop a lasting love for school. The Early Years is an enriching and happy experience where every child is empowered to achieve their full potential.

Our youngest pupils follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS).

There are seven areas of learning and development.  All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.

There are three prime areas:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Communication and Language

• Physical Development

There are also 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

We provide quality early years education, with a strong focus on communication and independence. We work as a team to plan a progressive curriculum and we ensure we incorporate the three characteristics of effective learning:

• Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, showing they are willing to ‘have a go’

• Active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achieving what they set out to do.

• Creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between their ideas and develop strategies for doing things.

Our curriculum is based on Development Matters - Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage, adapting topics and themes to meet the needs and reflect the interests of the children. It is delivered in a variety of ways including child-initiated learning, adult-led learning and play-based learning.  Children have access to high quality indoor and outdoor environments which are carefully planned to ensure each child achieves their full potential.

At the end of the Reception year the EYFS profile is completed for each child.  Children are assessed against the ‘Early Learning Goals’ (ELGs) and those who are working at the ‘expected’ level in all of the prime areas, Literacy and Mathematics are considered to have reached a Good Level of Development (GLD).

If you would like to find out more information about the Early Years Foundation Stage at Collingwood, please contact the class teacher or Phase Lead, who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Collingwood’s Curriculum Policy and School Aims, can be found on the policies page of this website.  An overview of what is being taught to each year group can be found on separate Class Pages on this website ("Children" tab drop down menu) and guidance on more personalised learning eg spellings, times tables and reading, can be found in your child's own "Supporting Learning Book" which should be kept in their book bag and go between home and school each day.  If you would like to know more, please ask at the office and our Class teachers or Subject Leads will be happy to contact you.