Class 1 teaching is shared between Mrs King, the lead teacher, and Mrs Phillips. They work alongside the Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Mrs Cook and Teaching Assistant, Mrs Carruthers. Together we offer different strengths across the curriculum providing a broad and enriching educational experience for the children.
(They are well prepared for their future learning in Year 1 and reach above-average standards.) OFSTED report 2015
In Class 1, EYFS and Key Stage 1 (Year 1 and Year 2) work separately each morning and then come together in the afternoon. This gives us breadth to support, stretch and challenge children in a friendly and inclusive classroom.
“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 Published: 3 March 2017)
Four guiding principles should shape practice in early years settings. These are:
- every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured
- children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships
- children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers
- children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates including children with special educational needs and disabilities
Effective teaching and learning in the EYFS will also include the 3 characteristics of effective learning:
- playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
- active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
- creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things
There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.
Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas, the prime areas, are:
- communication and language
- physical development
- personal, social and emotional development
Providers must also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are:
- literacy
- mathematics
- understanding the world
- expressive arts and design
The class is organised for EYFS allowing access to areas of learning and interest that enrich and enhance a child’s learning experience.
The KS1 children are taught in groups covering literacy, maths and science in a more structured way. They follow a timetable but still have access to the EYFS provision which makes for an easier transition to the next year group. There is a strong emphasis on early reading throughout Class 1, using the Twinkl scheme of work and reading books that are closely matched to their developing phonics knowledge and knowledge of common exception words.
The system works well and all Class 1 children are part of a friendly and happy mixed age class where they make a good start to their education in the early years and KS1 ready to move on to KS2 with confidence.
Full details of EYFS can be found in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. Setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five