Foundation Stage
In Early Years at Kingsbrook View we believe that every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and has the ability to be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
We aim to create an environment in which the children learn and develop, providing experiences which relate to their individual needs. We foster a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers. The children in EYFS learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships and a stimulating and happy atmosphere.
There are seven areas of learning and development that comprise the curriculum framework:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
These areas however cannot be delivered in isolation; they are all equally important and depend upon one another to support a rounded approach to a child’s learning and development. All seven areas are used to plan the teaching and activities to ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full and unique potential.
It is important to emphasise that at Kingsbrook View we also teach the children how to become learners:
- Through playing and exploring, they become engaged, curious and willing to try new things.
- Through active learning, they learn to be motivated and persistent and to enjoy a sense of achievement
- By creating and thinking critically, they develop their thinking skills so that they can have their own ideas, make links between their experiences and make decisions and choices in their learning.
Formal and academic activities take place alongside child initiated learning and are available where possible both inside and outside. Alongside the EYFS curriculum, all children have timetabled specialist lessons for Forest School (Spring Term).
Teaching Staff in Foundation Stage
Mrs V Gibbons - Foundation Stage Teacher & EYFS/Year 1 Lead
Mrs E Jones - Foundation Stage Teacher
Mrs E Mitchell- Smith - Foundation Stage Teaching Assistant
Miss Parrish - Foundation Stage Higher Level Teaching Assistant
Mrs C Stanley - Foundation Stage Teaching Assistant
Mrs R Dixon - Foundation Stage Teaching Assistant
Mrs S Nichols - Teacher in FG on a Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning
Mr R Jackson - Assistant Headteacher in FG on a Wednesday afternoon
Mrs K Khan - Teacher in FJ on a Wednesday afternoon
Key Documents
Reading
Enjoying books and reading stories from a very early age is crucial in the development of children. It helps with their ability to understand words, use their imagination and develop their speech, as well as being something they really enjoy.....Even from a very young age children love books.
Recommended Books - Foundation Stage
Initially reading books will be wordless, please do not dismiss these as too easy and spend time daily looking at them with your child. Wordless picture books are great for encouraging a child's ability to infer what is happening in the story. With no words for guidance, they have to figure this out, using only the illustrations and their imagination. This not only develops comprehension but an overall understanding of story structure and plot.
Please spend time reading during the week. Either after school, over breakfast or at a time that suits your day. Reading must be recorded in the home reading diary at least 4 times a week. All children read to an adult in the Academy at least once a week in school.
Phonics
At Kingsbrook View we use a phonics scheme called Essential Letters and Sounds. The whole class will begin this on their first full week in school. All children will have a 20-30 minute daily phonic lesson, each week the sounds that are taught during the week will be sent home so that you can work with your child.
Phase 2 sounds https://vimeo.com/641445921/9382cf6db0
Phase 3 sounds https://vimeo.com/753931102/b9a2f8194f
Phase 5 sounds https://vimeo.com/753933192/43104a30e0
Link to Oxford Owl
Letter formation
Parent phonics meeting 18th October 2023
Maths
Maths is interlinked within all areas of learning. Within provision children are encouraged to talk about number, shape, space and measures, in order to develop their mathematical skills. In Foundation Stage, we use 'White Rose Maths' schemes of learning for teaching mathematics. It is a mastery approach which enables all children to understand, enjoy and succeed in Maths. This is done by developing children's understanding. By truly understanding each mathematical concept and by mastering learning one step at a time, everyone can do maths! Children develop the right growth mindset, by solving problems using concrete resources, pictorial representations and abstract thinking.
Autumn 2023
Autumn - Match, Sort and CompareAutumn - Talk about Measure and PatternAutumn - It's Me 1,2,3
Autumn - Circles and Triangles
Foundation Stage Planning Documents
We believe there is plenty of scope to realistically plan for children’s learning each half term- the things we want them to investigate, experience, know about and understand. Combined with daily access to the key experiences in the continuous areas of provision and opportunities to follow their own interests and become involved in child initiated learning, whilst ensuring a broad and balanced curriculum. Half termly topic discussion sheets are feed into planning and learning challenge questions are created alongside our children's interests.
Key Days
FG - Mrs Gibbons
Indoor PE - Tuesday
Friday PE - Friday
Library - Thursday
Books changed - Taken in on a Thursday and returned on a Friday
FJ - Mrs Jones
Indoor PE - Monday
Outdoor PE - Thursday
Library - Wednesday
Books changed - Taken in on Thursday and returned on a Friday
Timetables
Knowledge Organisers
