Reception 2022 - 2023
Welcome to our Early Years page, where you can find out more about our curriculum at Underwood West Academy.
In Early Years we work within a statutory framework. The framework sets out the three prime areas of learning that underpins everything in Early Years.
Prime areas:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal, social and emotional development
The four specific areas help children to strengthen and apply the prime areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
There are also different aspects of the day:
Continuous Provision: This is where staff are able to skillfully use children's interests and desires to support each child's development in a holistic way. Children have the time to choose from many different areas such as water play, imaginiative play and construction. In all of are areas, staff are able to support, challenge and develop aspects of the Early Years curriculum. E.g. Helping children with their next steps in commuication and language through extension of vocabulary and open questions.
Directed Teaching: Teachers plan sessions where new content can be delivered and learning can be applied in groups. It is really important to us that the children are able to continue with the developmental play and so new skills and knowledge are delivered through a sequence of efficient lessons around maths, reading, writing, ect. Children also have a daily phonics session through moster phonics, which helps children to learn and recall spellings and sounds by using colour. For more information please see our Monster Phonics page.
Enhanced provision: Once children are in routine of all of the above, staff plan extra learning opportunities, which drive forward learning within childrens ineterests. E.g. staff may enhance areas of the continuous provision to support this or plan in some direct teaching sessions to support this interest.
All prime and specific areas are connected, which forms our hollistic approach. Within each area, children can learn and apply the characterisitcs of effective teaching and learning.
These are:
Playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things and 'have a go'.
Active learning - children contrite and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements.
Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things.
