St Mary’s EYFS Curriculum

Planning and Assessment

INTENT

Planning and assessment in the Early Years Foundation Stage will be current, in the moment and reflect our current cohort. Our staff will use Next Steps planning to facilitate learning through play and carry out regular, ongoing assessment of the children in our class.

At St. Mary’s our methods of planning and assessment will;

• create confident, curious learners who can work well as part of a team.

• allow children the opportunity to experience leading their own learning.

• develop a climate where the voices of our youngest children are heard and valued.

• create a child-centred culture where children can talk comfortably about what they do and don’t know.

• create a learning community where adults support children to learn independently.

IMPLEMENTATION

The Floor Book In the EYFS we will not follow a rolling pattern of topics and themes. We will introduce provocations for the children and document their subsequent learning journey in a class floorbook. This belongs to the children and they are encouraged to record in it themselves using words and / or pictures. Using this approach allow adults time to listen to the children, get to know them and plan for the children’s interests. Children have time to talk about what they do and don’t know and understand that they will be listened to and respected.

Next Steps Planning We track and monitor each child’s next steps in Mathematics, Mark Making and Making Conversation in order to sprinkle the skills for development over our daily play with the children. These are updated half-termly based on our daily observations and interactions with the children. The frequency of assessment allows for any necessary interventions to be put in place swiftly through the play-based approach.

The 3 Ms The 3Ms are Mathematics, Mark Making and Making conversation. By using these areas of learning as a focus for adults in the provision we find that our adults are confident in making observations and developing learning opportunities. All other areas of learning and planned for opportunities in the continuous provision. Each area has a half termly plan of possible skills progression. Children are taught which learning characteristics they are using.

IMPACT

Our children know that they will be listened to and respected which forms a culture of mutual respect, perfect for learning as they move through the school. Children are learning within topics and themes which are familiar and relevant to them and which they have chosen. In line with Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, our children feel safe, secure and build strong relationships with each other and with the adults in the provision. This ensures they are able to make progress from their individual starting points and have an enthusiasm for learning.