Children in throughout their first year at school are in the Reception class. The curriculum taught is the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Children enter this class during the academic year in which they turn five. At Donington on Bain we work with individual families to ensure that your child’s start in school is positive and fulfilling. The partnership between school and home is of great importance to us as it helps cement positive relationships and attitudes to school right from the start.

The emphasis during the EYFS is on learning through play. The children spend a large proportion of their time in school engaged in Continuous Provision. Continuous Provision enables learning to continue to take place in the absence of an adult.  It is linked to assessment and broadly levelled so that there is challenge and support in all areas for all children.

Planning is "In the moment". By this we mean allowing the children to choose what to do, join them and support them in their pursuits. Then we write up what happened. This means we work more closely with the children to observe an interest and extend it in the moment. The basis for all of this is that children have a natural desire to learn and explore. So instead of holding their hand through a variety of preset activities, you can allow them to find their own interests, and use this to enhance and build upon their existing knowledge.

It’s often broken down into three stages:

• The Child’s Spark – This is when the child first shows an interest in something. There should be an air of fascination around the object and concentration in what they are now doing.
• The Teachable Moment – The teacher will notice this and approach the child. This is the opportunity to extend their interest, by asking open-ended questions and considering ways to apply this interest to other options within the environment.
• The Documentation – At a later date, you can document the observation. Include the spark, the teachable moment and what you did next. This will help you to map out each child’s interests, and plan an environment that works for them.

 The classroom environment is set up with a wide range of stimulating activities and exciting play opportunities which the children can choose to access.

The children’s progress is tracked against the EYFS which is divided into the following areas:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (which includes: Making relationships, Self-confidence and self-awareness, Managing feelings and behaviour)

Physical Development (Which includes: Moving and handling, Health and self-care)

Communication and Language (Which includes: Listening and attention, Understanding, Speaking)

Literacy (Reading, Writing)

Mathematics (Numbers, Shape, space and measure)

Understanding the World (People and communities, The world, Technology)

Expressive Arts and Design (Exploring and using media and materials, Being imaginative)