The Foundation Stage at Orchard comprises of 2 separate teaching and learning areas, the Nursery unit(Foundation1) which caters for our 3 and 4 years olds and our Reception class( Foundation 2) which caters for our rising 5 and 5 year olds. The Foundation Stage is important in its own right in preparing children for later schooling and the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum underpins all future learning and motivates children to embark on their lifelong learning journey.

The Foundation Stage plans using the EYFS statutory curriculum guidance to deliver interesting and exciting learning through topics which capture children’s enthusiasm and motivates their desire to learn.

Some of our topics include:

Amazing Animals / Let’s Celebrate / All About Me
Growing / Things that Move / Nursery Rhymes

We plan to meet the needs and interests of all children in the Foundation stage and include them in making choices in their learning. We recognise that all children are unique and develop and learn in different ways and at different rates, that they develop best through positive relationships with the staff and their parents/ carers , that they thrive in environments which respond to their needs and where there are strong, positive relationships and role models.

Our planning ensures coverage of the 7 Areas of Learning through indoor and outdoor learning and through specific planned teaching and child initiated learning and activities.

Personal, Social and Emotional
/ Physical Development
/ Communication and Language

Self-Confidence and Self Awareness
Managing Feelings and Behaviour
Making Relationships / Moving and Handling
Health and Self-Care / Listening and Attention
Understanding
Speaking
Literacy
/ Mathematics
/ Knowledge of the World
/ Expressive Arts and Design

Reading
Writing / Numbers
Shape, Space and Measures / People and Communities
The World
Technology / Exploring and Using Media and Materials
Being Imaginative

To help us to understand more about the way children play and approach their learning and to further understand their development and progress we use the “Characteristics of Effective Learning”.

Characteristics of Effective Learning
1.Playing and Exploring- engagement
  • Finding out and exploring.
  • Playing with what they know
  • Being willing to “have a go”.
2. Active Learning- Motivation
  • Being involved and concentrating
  • Keeping trying.
  • Enjoying achieving what they set out to do.
3. Creating and Thinking Critically
  • Having their own ideas
  • Making links.
  • Choosing ways to do things.

British Values

We also ensure that British Values feature in our planning and our observations of children.

Democracy- Making decisions together
Making sure the children know that their views count, valuing each other’s views and values. Children should be encouraged in turn taking, collaboration and sharing and develop an enquiring mind and ask questions.
Rule of Law-
Developing an understanding of their own and others behaviour and its consequence and learning right from wrong.
Creating expectations and rules that are understood and followed by all.
Individual Liberty-freedom for all
Developing a positive sense of self through development of self- knowledge, self -esteem and self- confidence.
Developing and exploring feelings and responsibility and knowing their opinions are valued
Mutual Respect and Tolerance- treat others as you want to be treated
Developed through an atmosphere of inclusivity and tolerance in respect of families, faiths, cultures, communities, traditions, abilities. Celebrating diversity and challenging stereotypes.

Assessment

Assessment helps us to understand more about what children already know and can do and enables us to help plan for their further learning needs.

Our children are assessed and their progress charted in a variety of ways including observations and photographic evidence, annotating pieces of work, using development matters and formalised tracking, whilst always valuing the contribution of parents and carers as the child’s first educators and the people that know the child best.

All children have an individual “Learning Journey” which grows with the child throughout the Foundation Stage, celebrating their achievements and success and recognising them as a unique individual with their own particular strengths and interests. Parents and carers are encouraged to contribute to their child’s learning journey and to celebrate and value it as a positive reflection of their child.