EYFS
Intent
To support children to develop the key life skills of independence; confidence; articulacy; innovation; creativity, enquiry; analysis and problem solving whilst making learning fun and encouraging a love of learning.
Why is Early Years so important?
Early Years is so important in giving children the foundations they need for their future. It is a time where children make and establish important relationships that will set them off on their educational journey. Early Years is also the time when key communication and language skills are developed as well as early literacy and maths skills and the physical and social skills they are going to need. They develop core skills through their interactions with others and their environment. Play in the Early Years is vital in developing these skills and encouraging an enquiring mind and a love of learning.
What Early Years looks like at Grove Vale
At Grove Vale, children encounter opportunities to be creative, to be curious, to try things out and to develop their independence and confidence in a safe, fun, engaging environment. We believe that children learn best through practical, hands-on experiences and interactions with their environment and that play provides children with the opportunities to consolidate and extend skills and concepts learnt. Our curriculum involves a mixture of child initiated and teacher led tasks. Our staff are skilled play partners, teaching the children their next steps and reinforcing and supporting them in their learning. We provide a rich, stimulating and varied environment in which our children develop their own learning, interests and play. Children have access to different provision areas and we value the importance of our outdoor environment, believing that it offers children the opportunity to develop thinking and problem solving skills.
Examples of Learning at Grove Vale
Key skills are introduced, developed and extended. Teacher time activities include phonics; story time, library time and guided reading activities; snappy maths; handwriting; singing and music; as well as our Jolly Jobs time which covers all seven Areas of Learning through many different experiences and tasks based on six topics across the year. Skills are also introduced and developed during our Learning Lots time (Child Initiated) when children can independently access our different provision areas and enhancements (eg cooking, gardening, investigations, role play, games, problem solving activities, PE skills) Children experience many things for the first time and develop their skills and interests. They may go to Forest school and swimming. They go on local trips through our seasonal walks and trips to the library. They participate in special events and activities such as Diwali Day, Eid celebrations, the Nativity play and Easter activities.
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