Early Years (Pre School) 2023 - 2024

Mrs Doig

Mr Knapton

Mrs Smith

Mrs Lloyd

“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.

AutumnTerm 2023

Our Big Question this term is...

What makes me special?

Over the course of the term we will be getting to know each other and our environment. We will be talking about what we look like, and exploring how we may be similar or different. We will explore our feelings and emotions as well as developing an understanding of the feelings of others. We will talk about and gain a sense of ourselves.

Also, this half term we will be looking for signs of Autumn, investigating our outdoor environment to look for seasonal changes. Our focus texts will be Owl Babies and The Little Acorn and we will be learning lots of nursery rhymes and songs.

After half term we will focus on talking about and exploring feelings and emotions using the story of The Colour Monster to support the children's learning and development.

To support physical development, our focus this term will be to develop core strength, coordination and gross movement skills.