EYFS and Preschool at Coney Hill
At Coney Hill Primary School we offer a curriculum rich in wonder and memorable experiences. We work hard to provide a stimulating environment that provides exciting opportunities, promotes challenge, exploration, adventure and a real love of learning.
It is our intent that all children develop physically, verbally, cognitively and emotionally in an environment which values all cultures, communities and people. We aim for our children to be confident and independent, to believe in themselves and interact positively with others.
We understand that play is an integral part of learning and this is at the heart of our early years curriculum. We believe that the correct mix of adult directed and uninterrupted child-initiated play ensures the best outcomes for pupils.
Warm and positive relationships between staff and children, consistent routines and strong relationships with parents are key.
We recognise the crucial role that early year’s education has to play in providing firm foundations upon which the rest of a child’s education is successfully based.
Our EYFS Pledge
“Children will have many opportunities to learn through play. We will ensure that learning will be fun, engaging and we will challenge and support all children where ever their starting point. As an EYFS team and effective role models, we will provide high quality interactions in order to develop and deepen the children’s learning opportunities. We will deliver our curriculum through a balance of adult led and child-initiated activities based on the EYFS Framework 21’ & children’s interests.”
To become a Confident Communicator who can listen carefully in different situations, hold a conversation with friends and adults, ask relevant questions and use new vocabulary to explain ideas and feelings.
To become an Independent Individual who can follow the Golden Rules, set simple goals and persevere to achieve them, select resources, manage their own personal needs and know how to stay fit and healthy.
To become a Fantastic Friend who can be kind, caring and helpful, show empathy and respect to others, work and play cooperatively whilst considering others’ ideas and feelings.
To become an Amazing Athlete who can show strength, balance and co-ordination when playing, move confidently and safely in a variety of different ways, use a range of equipment.
To become a Talented Tool User who can hold a pencil effectively, use a range of tools (for example scissors, cutlery, paintbrushes, tweezers, hammer, screwdrivers) safely and with confidence.
To become a Brilliant Bookworm who can show a love for reading, use new vocabulary to talk about what they have read or has been read to them, read words and simple sentences (using single sounds and digraphs they have learnt).
To become a Wow Writer who can write letters that are formed correctly, write words and simple sentences (using single sounds and digraphs they have learnt) that can be read by others.
To become a Maths Magician who can show a deep understanding of numbers to 10, recognise patterns within the number system, subitise, compare quantities and recall number bonds to 5.
To become an Exceptional Explorer who can show curiosity about the world around them, understand how to read and draw a simple map, understand some differences between times and places.
To become a Compassionate Citizen who can help to look after their community and care for the environment, know some reasons why Gloucester is special, have an awareness of other people’s cultures and beliefs.
To become a Dynamic Designer who can choose and safely use the resources they need to make their creations, talk about what they have made and how they have made it.
To become a Proud Performer who can perform a song, poem or dance to an audience, retell stories with expression and confidence, play a range of percussion instruments correctly and with good rhythm.
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Playing and exploring: - Children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’. Children who actively participate in their own play develop a larger store of information and experiences to draw on which positively supports their learning
Active learning: - Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties. They are proud of their own achievements. For children to develop into self-regulating, lifelong learners they are required to take ownership, accept challenges and learn persistence.
Creating and thinking critically: - Children develop their own ideas and make links between these ideas. They think flexibly and rationally, drawing on previous experiences which help them to solve problems and reach conclusions.
At Coney Hill Primary School we meet the welfare requirements laid down in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and actively safeguard and promote the welfare of all of our children.
We prioritise creating a ‘language rich’ environment through the use of songs, nursery rhymes, stories and providing time for quality interactions between adults and between peers. Trained staff ensure that interactions are positive and progressive, allowing children to flourish and gather words at pace in order to become confident communicators. Children are encouraged to become early readers through enjoyment of books and the systematic teaching of phonics. The children learn nursery rhymes and develop their mathematical thinking through direct teaching and exploration. We want our children to become confident mathematicians who can apply what they have learnt to real life experiences.
We have built our school environment to enable our children to strengthen their core muscles through physical play, children spend time outdoors in their natural environment in all weathers. They develop through wonderful, exploratory, sensory experiences in our mud kitchen, sandpit and taking part in Forest School sessions. Our learning environment is adaptable in order to reflect children's interests and progression. The children are supported to learn to work together, manage their feelings and ask questions through skilled adult facilitated play.
The curriculum is taught through themes which are enriched with classroom enhancements, trips and visitors. Themes are supported by quality key texts. These are chosen carefully to encourage children's speech, language and communication development. All planning however, is flexible and responsive to children’s needs so plans can be changed and adapted dependent on children’s interests.
We understand the importance of parental engagement and believe that our parents have a crucial role to play in their children's education. We work hard to create strong partnerships between home and school. Parents receive knowledge organisers each half term to inform them of what their child is learning each half term and to explain how they can support this at home. Parents enjoy using Tapestry to engage in their child's learning and share experience from home.
As part of the learning and teaching process, children are assessed in relation to their progress towards the Early Learning Goals. These judgements are made on the basis of accumulative observations and in depth knowledge of the children acquired through ongoing assessment. These ongoing assessments are used to inform planning and next steps in teaching and learning for all children throughout the year.