The Grove Primary School

Intent:

At The Grove School we believe that all children deserve an education rich in memorable experiences that will allow our children’s creativity and curiosity to grow. This, alongside the development of key skills and knowledge offers our children the strongest of foundations and a love of learning. Giving the children the best chance to become well-rounded, happy individuals, ready to succeed in life both socially and academically. The establishment of strong, positive relationships provides a solid foundation upon which learning has no limits, so the development of personal, social, and emotional skills are a key priority for our EYFS Team.

It is our intention to provide stimulating learning environments both inside and outside where all children can work independently with a range of adults and with their peers to explore, ask questions and find out about the world around them. We ensure we make use of our wonderful school grounds such as the woodlands or the allotments to explore to further and to further knowledge.

Our aim is to provide children with a well-structured, safe and active learning environment to enable our young learners to develop the skills, attitudes and understanding that are needed to support them becoming lifelong learners.  We pride ourselves with providing high quality teaching where the children learn basic key skills and build on these by revisiting and making links to prior learning. 

Implementation:

We recognise the importance of giving our children the best possible start to their education by ensuring that we plan and implement teaching and learning opportunities that support them in reaching their full potential and ultimately, achieve their Early Learning Goals. We do this by making lessons as cross curricular as possible with a clear rationale and purpose behind what we are doing so the children make links between their learning and everyday life.

We also recognise that children will learn most effectively when they are healthy and feel safe and secure, when their individual needs are met and when they have positive relationships with the adults who care for them. We provide a setting that encompasses a safe and stimulating environment where children are able to enjoy learning and grow in confidence.

In our setting we provide a good balance of teaching sessions and adult-led activities to build and model the foundation of the children’s learning skills and knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, so that they can apply this learning to child-initiated activities and throughout the continuous provision. 

The curriculum is planned and implemented using a topic based approach created upon the children’s likes and interests at the time.  This approach gives the children the opportunities to apply learning from across the curriculum, providing practical context and also opportunities to apply knowledge and skills they have learned through a variety of learning opportunities. These topics are introduced to our children in creative and engaging ways and usually through a memorable experience or “hook” to capture their engagement and enthusiasm.   Within each topic we ensure that previous knowledge, skills and experiences are built upon thus embedded what they know, remember and do. 

Throughout our setting the children are assessed in relation to their progress towards Development Matters and the Early Learning Goals. These judgements are made on the basis of accumulative observations and in-depth knowledge of the children acquired through ongoing assessments. Next steps are taught in the moment during continuous provision and adult led activities to ensure children are challenged. End-of-year assessments are finalised during the summer term, summarising each child’s development at that point against the Early Learning Goals and Development Matters.

Impact:

Our children actively engaged in their learning and the enjoyment of this learning is apparent in their daily provision.  All children experience a curriculum that provides exciting and enriching learning experiences and opportunities for them to learn through educational visits and practical experiences.  

Our children are able to appreciate and understand the world around them by experiencing and learning about different cultures, celebrations, music, dance, art and history. Children are curious and actively ask questions about the world around them and their learning experiences. They are able to take risks and face challenges.  They understand the meaning of respect and are able to respect each other, themselves, adults and the school. They are able to make sense of the world around them, through our curriculum school values and our Number One Programme. Our Early Years children thrive, blossom and learn how to be successful learners. They are fully prepared for and excited about their transition into Year 1 and ready for the National Curriculum expectations.

We know that by the end of the Foundation Stage at The Grove Primary School, our children will have developed the essential knowledge and skills required for everyday life and lifelong learning. Almost all our children make more than the expected steps progress from their starting points. On leaving EYFS our children are happy, inquisitive, respectful and successful learners with bright futures ahead of them.

Term 1 - Marvellous Me ~ Term 2 - Once Upon a Time ~ Term 3 - Rumble in the Jungle ~
Term 4 - Spring into Action ~ Term 5 - Shiver Me Timbers ~ Term 6 - On the Move

Please click the image below for more information on each topic.