"The early years team establishes a calm and purposeful learning environment for children. Its members ensure that children have access to a wealth of interesting and engaging resources." Ofsted - July 2023
Intent (What we do)
Our Early Years curriculum is unique, planned and developed around the specific needs of our children and our community and covers all aspects of the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (see below). It is underpinned by first-hand experience. Through this we develop speech and language, independence and self-regulated learning. These are our drivers for excellence. We focus on developing identified core knowledge and skills, starting with those needed by our youngest learners, moving through to our FS2 children so that they are creative and adventurous learners fully prepared for Year One, with all the tools needed to achieve and exceed in life. In order to do this we work closely with our KS1 colleagues. We make sure that our curriculum evolves and develops alongside our children. We ensure that flexibility is built into our curriculum so that our children can follow their own interests and that their individual talents, interests and needs are always nurtured.
The EYFS Statutory Framework
- sets the standards that all early year’s providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well
- ensures children are kept healthy and safe
- ensures that children have the knowledge and skills they need to start school
The three characteristics of effective learning describe the behaviours children use in order to learn:
Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and build the resilience to ‘have a go’
Active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achieving
Creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things
The three prime areas are particularly important for building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships, and thriving, underpinning the specific areas of learning.
The Prime Areas
- Communication and Language
- Personal, social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
There are four specific areas through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied.
The Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
Phonics is taught in Reception and Key Stage One through the Read Write Inc programme which is a systematic synthetic phonics programme and a highly effective approach used for the teaching of early reading and writing.
Our Nursery phonics teaching consists of developing children’s listening and attention skills and their phonological awareness. This is taught through daily phase 1 activities, incorporating the aspects of: environmental sounds, instrumental sounds, body percussion, voice sounds, rhyme and alliteration. Children listen to and join in with songs and rhymes, sound games and syllable clapping activities. This early stage of phonics supports children to develop the listening and attention skills and sound awareness, ready to begin the Read Write Inc programme. In the summer term prior to beginning the Reception year, our Nursery children play ‘Fred games’ from RWI which develops oral blending skills in preparation for learning the letter sounds.
Implementation (How we do what we do)
Our learning environment is planned with care to ensure calm and purpose to support and develop children’s self-initiated interests and curiosities and reflect current learning. Children are provided with opportunities to explore, practise, and strengthen skills and knowledge.
Our Early years spaces exude homeliness and comfort, we ensure that they are spaces of safety, care, and supportive challenge. Our free-flow outdoor area develops children’s sense of well-being and helps to develop positive attitudes such as perseverance and self-confidence. Our carefully chosen resources and activities allow opportunities for collaborative play, gross and fine motor skills development and are crucial in underpinning children’s ability to problem-solve and self-regulate.
Our Early Years staff have a breadth of knowledge and skills with an absolute commitment to ensure the care, nurture, and success of all. We invest in our relationships with children ensuring they feel safe, secure, and accepted. Our staff take time to get to know our children and understand what their individual needs are and how best these needs can be met, barriers overcome and aspirational goals met.
Skelton sits at the heart of a supportive and caring community. We strive for excellent relationships with all parents and staff are highly regarded and trusted by our parents and carers. Our staff are always available at the start and end of the day and make time for in-person communication. There are numerous opportunities for us to welcome parents into our classroom and enjoy reading, baking, and gardening with the children. Ducklings and Robins have twitter accounts that are used to share regular updates about what has been happening. Focus child letters are sent home to further develop the collaboration between home and school and ensure the best outcomes for our children. The children’s learning journeys with us are recorded on Tapestry (an online learning journal) which allows parents to access pictures and narratives about a child/children’s learning. We have strong supportive relationships with outside agencies to ensure the right support can be put in place to allow all children to flourish and thrive within our caring and inclusive environment.
Impact (The result of what we do)
The supportive, caring family-feel at Skelton ensures that our children develop to be independent, autonomous, and successful learners. Skelton Early Years is a place of happiness and inclusivity where we celebrate what makes us different and what gels and connects us. The impact of our exciting, challenging curriculum delivered by knowledgeable and passionate adults within a carefully planned environment, is children who develop life-long skills, and achieve aspirational goals. Our children leave Early Years fully prepared for the opportunities and challenges they will encounter in Year One. Their development of self-regulation enables our children to operate with resilience and determination. The high level of care they are shown throughout their time in Early Years ensures they have high self-esteem and a respect for themselves, others and the world in which they live.
In line with our school motto, children leave early years with a deep knowledge that they are accepted and belong, they believe in their own talents, uniqueness and capabilities and achieve well academically, socially, physically and morally.
If you are thinking of sending your child to Skelton Early Years, we would love to hear from you and to give you a tour of our very special school.
Nursery enrolment forms and declaration forms are available from the school office or to download in this section of the website. If you wish to reserve sessions for your children, please complete and return a Nursery Session Booking Form.
