1. FoundationFoundation The Journey Begins

2. EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage Revised Curriculum began September 2012 Main changes – Organised into Prime Areas and Specific Areas. Prime Areas – Personal, Social and Emotional Development - Communication and Language - Physical Development Specific Areas – Literacy - Mathematics - Understanding the World - Expressive Arts and Design

3. The Foundation Stage Curriculum Prime Areas – these areas of learning are most essential for children’s readiness for future learning and healthy development. End of Foundation Stage assessment - simplified Instead of 69 learning goals there are now 17. However, there are still 294 statements which we need to assess your child on throughout the year! In each area of learning teachers must decide whether children are Emerging, Expected or Exceeding. Providers/Settings are responsible for judgements about the balance between play and teaching. Also between activities led by children and activities led by or guided by adults.

4. The Characteristics of Effective Learning

5. Planning We plan for Phonics each week. We also have an overall weekly plan to ensure that all areas of the curriculum are covered. The ‘Continuous Provision’ planning maps out the activities for the week which will be on offer in the areas of learning. Where possible we plan activities daily, responding to the needs of the children, personalising the learning for your child.

8. http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development -Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf

9. Areas of Learning There are five main areas where your child will learn during the day. The seven areas of the EYFS are covered both indoors and outdoors. In each area there are structured adult led activities and also opportunities for child initiated activities. During these activities the staff make assessments and observations of the children. This information is then taken to our weekly planning meetings to inform the following weeks planning. This way we can ensure that your child's learning is relevant to them and of course fun!

10. How is my child assessed? Your child will be assessed through a variety of observations in different situations. These observations will be in each child's personal Learning Journey book along with photographs of children ‘in action’ and pieces of their learning such as drawings/pictures/examples of writing. We aim to ensure that your child achieves well in all areas by the end of the Foundation Stage. Children are targeted with activities that will help them to develop a skill that they need. Some activities will be a MUST activity for your child, some might be a SHOULD and some a COULD.

11. Must/Should/Could Activities

12. Changing Reading Books When your child comes to school in the morning we would like them to become independent when changing their reading books. Your child’s book will have a coloured sticker on the side which indicates what colour band they are on. Please guide them towards this colour in the morning until they are comfortable with doing this on their own.

13. Wow Board We have a Wow board just inside the entrance to the Foundation Stage. We welcome contributions from you about the steps that your child make in their learning. This could be from reading a book with little support from you, being able to ride their bike without stabilisers or counting all of the stairs in order. You know your child best and what is a step forward for them. These will be discussed in class, put on the Wow board and then put into your child’s Learning journey book.

14. Physical Education As Physical Development is part of our everyday curriculum we do not have weekly PE sessions. However, your child still needs their kit in school as we will do sessions as the year progresses, focusing on the statements in the Physical Development section of the Development Matters booklet. Using the Must/Should/Could sheets we can target children to address their specific needs.

15. Learning Journey Books You will notice your child’s Learning Journey Folder in the shared area outside the classrooms. Please feel free to look at these at the end of the day if you have time or alternatively, if you would like to sign it out over a weekend then please use the signing out sheet which can be found in the shared area. Could you please ensure that they are signed back in when you return them as we add to them on a daily basis.