Early Years Curriculum at Haydon Abbey School

and Pre-School

At Haydon Abbey we have three year groups within our Early Years provision; Pre-School classes for our 2 and 3 year olds, Nursery Class for our Rising 4 year olds and Reception Classes for our rising 5 year olds. All year groups follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS). We plan activities and enhance our provision using the seven areas of learning. With our youngest children we concentrate, but do not limit, the learning around the 3 Prime Areas of learning.

Prime Areas

Communication and Language

• Listening and Attention
• Understanding
• Speaking

Physical Development

• Moving and Handling
• Health and Self-care

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Self-confidence & Self-awareness
• Managing Feelings and Behaviour
• Making Relationships

Specific Areas

Literacy

• Reading
• Writing

Mathematics

• Number
• Space, Shape and Measure

Understanding the World

• People and Communities
• The World
• Technology

Expressive Arts and Design

• Exploring and Media and Materials
• Being Imaginative

Underpinning the EYFS curriculum are The Characteristics of Effective Learning. These areas are a key element in the EYFS. They detail the ways in which children should be learning from their environment, experiences and activities. Children up to the age of five should all be displaying the characteristics of effective learning every day. These characteristics are:-

• Playing and Exploring
• Creating and Thinking Critically
• Active Learning

Our Early Years provision is designed to enhance and encourage the children to be independent learners, all equipment is resourced for the appropriate year group and accessible for all the children. We Plan topics around the children’s interest, these topics change frequently and every week the children take home a ‘Home Links’ sheet, that contains ideas for the children to try at home with their parents/carers.

Example Overview of Topics

Our child led topics can range from monsters to space. We observe the children’s play and record their interest, this then impacts our planning and the topic.

In our Early Years we use Objective Led Planning; this means that the children have an individual objective for the week, based on their current learning. The environment is enhanced to support these objectives and the children’s learning.

In Early Years the children take part in Forest School weekly. Please see our Forest School section for more information.

Reception children have a PE session once a week.