Early Years (Pre School) 2024 - 2025

CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE HEADTEACHER INTRO TO CURRICULUM MORNING
SEE FILES BELOW FOR SLIDES AND AUDIO RECORDING OF THE CURRICULUM MORNING MEETING LED BY THE CLASS TEACHER IN SEPTEMBER 2024

SUMMER TERM 2025

Our Big Question this term is...

WHO COULD HELP?

Our big question this term helps the children learn about the people in their community who can help them, such as doctors, firefighters, police officers, and teachers. Through stories, role play, and hands-on activities, thee children will discover how these people keep us safe and support our well-being. They will also enhance their understanding of how they can help themselves and others, by using kind words, making safe choices, and learning to ask for help when they need it. This supports their growing independence, confidence, and understanding of the world around them.

Our focused stories this term are:              

These books will support our learning across three exciting themes: Africa, the farm, and spring. Handa’s Surprise introduces children to African culture, animals, and fruits, encouraging curiosity about different places and ways of life. Duck in the Truck offers a fun, farmyard adventure that helps children explore farm animals, teamwork, and problem-solving. That’s Not My Flower is perfect for springtime, inviting children to engage their senses as they learn about plants, textures, and seasonal changes in nature.

To support and enhance the childrens oracy Concept Cat will be introducing us to the following words, 'quiet', 'next', 'heavy', 'between' and 'straight'.

We will support pre-writing skills by providing fun gross motor activities like climbing, crawling, and throwing to build core strength and coordination. Children will also take part in large arm movements such as drawing in the air or using ribbons to develop shoulder stability and control needed for writing.

Resources for Parents

https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/learning-to-talk/3-to-5-years/?WT.mc_ID=PR_Organic#anchor-tabs

https://foundationyears.org.uk/2019/09/resources-for-parents/

https://literacytrust.org.uk/communities/hungry-little-minds/

https://www.pacey.org.uk/parents/home-learning-environment/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/

Physical Development - https://www.earlymovers.org.uk/activities

Speech and Language - https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/talking-point/parents/ages-and-stages/

Reading with your child - https://wordsforlife.org.uk/parent-support/reading-your-child/

https://www.booksfortopics.com/booklists/recommended-reads/preschool-nursery/ 

“Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up” (Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage - setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. 2021)

At Brookdale, we aim to provide a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum that will enable each child to develop personally, socially, emotionally, physically, creatively and academically to their full potential. Each child is valued as an individual; teaching and learning is rooted in the understanding that children progress at different rates. The curriculum in our Early Years is delivered through a balance of adult-led and child-led learning, meeting all the requirements of the educational programmes in the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and using guidance from non-statutory documents including Development Matters and Birth to Five Matters. Our curriculum allows us the flexibility to respond quickly to children’s new interests and/or needs and create an environment in which they develop independence and learn to play, share, co-operate, explore and investigate through a wide range of rich, varied and imaginative experiences.

Our curriculum encompasses seven areas of learning and development. All areas of learning and development are important and interconnected. Three areas especially underpin all learning and thinking, building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity, engagement and enthusiasm, forming relationships and thriving as individuals and part of the school family.
These are called the prime areas:
· Communication and Language
· Physical development
· Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

Four additional areas of learning help children to develop skills and knowledge whilst applying the prime areas. These are called the specific areas:
· Literacy
· Mathematics
· Understanding the World
· Expressive Arts and Design

During their time in our Early Years, children access a highly stimulating environment in which to play, learn and grow which reflect the seven areas of learning and foster positive attitudes to thinking and learning. There is daily planned provision both indoors and outdoors where the Early Years team challenge, model, scaffold and support learning carefully, accounting for the individual interests, motivations and needs of all children in our setting.