Year R Curriculum at Shakespeare Infant School

Year R Curriculum Intention

At Shakespeare Infant School, we value every child in Year R being unique and we plan a bespoke curriculum for all. We strongly believe that every child is unique and we plan a meaningful curriculum through engaging and exciting projects, which can been seen in our Curriculum Plan below. We plan our provision through short whole class sessions and group sessions including daily phonics, reading and maths learning time as we want our children to develop skills throughout our school. We promote the love for reading and early language acquisition, from whole class stories to individual reading and library visits. We know that children learn best by being active in their learning, which is why much of our day is planned through children’s interest and enhancements to encourage children to learn through their play. The teachers and LSAs support the children with their language as well as other areas such as their emotional well-being. We value the importance of outdoor learning, in all weathers, allowing the children to take risks and be independent, like Billy the Blackbird and work collaborative, like Horace the Hedgehog. We also teach the children our key Learning Values through our puppets throughout Year R.

Continuous Provision in Action in Early Years

The pictures below show some examples of children directing their own learning through continuous provision.  Our Early Years children are provided with large chunks of child initiated learning throughout the day. This allows them to use what they know in ways that interest them.

The role of the adults in this time is to support and question the children; making observations and pushing the learning on further. Our children have the opportunity to free flow between the classrooms and the courtyard and Learning Lane.

We provide these opportunities whatever the weather as we understand that children benefit from outside learning whatever the weather. There is a focus on the Prime Areas of learning as these are the building blocks for all future learning. As well as this reading and writing are promoted throughout all areas of provision. This ensures that the children's learning is purposeful and interests them.

Early Years Classrooms

The photos below show some of the areas in our Reception classrooms. We also have an additional learning space called the courtyard where the children can access sand and water play as well as being a place to change into our wet weather puddle suits. All of the resources are displayed on open shelves so the children have free and easy access.  The children are encouraged to independently tidy up resources when they have finished using them!

Whatever the weather….

We use the outdoor grounds in all weathers except torrential rain.  The children are very speedy at putting their puddle suits and wellies on by October! Being outside gives our children the opportunity to observe the wonderful world around them throughout all seasons.