Intent 

At St Matthews we want our children to have the best start to their education during the Early Years. Our educational offering will be inclusive and ensure no child is left behind.  We want children to become resilient, caring, enthusiastic and successful learners. During their time in Early Years we will provide children with the essential knowledge and skills they need to be successful at St Matthews and in life, ensuring we are developing the whole child.   Our carefully chosen topics will offer a broad and balanced curriculum, acting a stimulus for children to explore their own questions and interests. Children will leave our Early Years ready to tackle the challenges that face them. Children will learn new words all the time and use this vocabulary in their play.  Practitioners will be “in” the provision with the children to address misconceptions, move learning on and engage in meaningful interactions.  

Implementation

At St Matthews we use the development matters framework and children's interests to support our assessment and next step planning. Our curriculum is split into 6 topics across the year. Our topics in Nursery and Reception are the same but the key learning and outcomes are different.   

Autumn 1: All about me

Autumn 2: Celebrations

Spring 1: Traditional Tales

Spring 2: Blast Off

Summer 1: Growing and Change

Summer 2: All Around the World

Our topics are a starting point for our learning and practitioners are skilled in following the interests of the children. Key skills are mapped out across the year based on topic stimulus. Skills are taught as a progression model to ensure that learning is being continually built on. Children with gaps in their knowledge or skills will be identified and supported in a way that is appropriate for that individual child. 

Throughout the day children will experience both adult led and child-initiated time, proportions of which will be suited to their ages and stages.  Larger proportions of the day will be protected for “Choosing Time”, where children will access the provision to explore new or consolidate previously learnt concepts. The provision will be a blend of continuous (always available) and enhanced (linked to key learning.) 

Impact

All children will have made progress from their individual starting points and all will have developed skills they need for learning. Most children will have met the skills and knowledge needed for the end of the EYFS. Children who have not met the required standard will have a clear pathway of what needs to be done for them to continue to make progress or meet the standard. Children will feel happy, secure and be successful. They will develop their own thoughts and ideas and communicate these effectively with familiar adults and peers. Children will be independent learners who have a positive attitude towards learning and are excited to come to school. The whole child will be developed, and they will leave our Early Years as well-rounded children.