The EYFS curriculum meets the requirements set out in the revised National Curriculum at Foundation Stage.

The curriculum focusses on Early Learning Goals (ELG) and Ages and Stages. During the first term the teacher will make a baseline assessment, to record the skills of each child on entry to school. After this the teacher will use individual and group assessments, in order to develop and implement necessary provisions.

Pedagogy and Environment

At Wybers Wood Academy, we strongly follow the ethos of the Early Excellence Pedagogy, which focuses on the development of learning through inspirational teaching and learning. All practitioners teach skills through offering children the opportunity to play. Practitioners follow the interests of the children and enhance learning provisions in line with this. This provides children with the opportunity, not only acquire enthusiasm for learning, but to enhance their communication and language development. Practitioners intervene and develop the children’s play in line with the ELG.

We have recently undergone a huge transformation in the Foundation Unit. The unit now offers the children wonderful resources, great spaces both indoors and outdoors as well as being warm and inviting which meets the needs of the child’s extended play. The children develop all their skills from PSE to maths in unit, through their play. The environment is enhanced based on the needs of the children daily and weekly. Our outdoor area is an extension of our indoor classroom. This is important to us, as we offer children the same opportunities to develop their learning. Children are actively encouraged to access the outdoor area throughout the school day.

Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) is our chosen phonics programme. Like all phonics schemes, it teaches children the sounds in English, the letters that represent them, and how to form the letters when writing. ELS includes reading books written using only the letters they have learnt at each level (and a small number of separately taught ‘harder to read and spell’ words). The children will quickly feel confident and successful. Children experience the joy of books and language whilst rapidly acquiring the skills they need to become fluent independent readers and writers. Click on the link below to take you to the phonics section of our website.

Phonics – Our Intent – Wybers Wood Academy

Tapestry

Tapestry is an online learning journal where practitioners and parents can work collaboratively to highlight the progress, development and personal milestones achieved by children. Practitioners will upload observations of the children at school based on the learning taking place. The observations are then linked to the statements and ages expectations, they are then celebrated with parents too. Parents have the ability to log on to tapestry, view these observations and have a dialogue with practitioners. We feel this is important, as it strengthens the communication between school and home. We also encourage parents to upload their own milestones of their children, which can be celebrated in school.