Reception children are an integral part of the Key Stage One infant class and are sometimes taught simultaneously with years 1 and 2, but we also ensure that the day is structured to provide time for reception children to work as a discrete group, particularly in phonics, English and maths. The care and education offered by our EYFS team helps children to continue to learn by providing interesting and ambitious activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development, while also challenging them to think creatively.
The unique child is central to our curriculum. We observe the children’s development and learning; assess their progress and plan for next steps. We support each child to form positive relationships with adults, who respond to their needs in a sensitive and consistent way. We provide an environment in which the child can participate in rich learning opportunities through play and playful teaching. These three elements together ensure optimum opportunities for learning and development. We encourage every child to enjoy their achievements and develop their own ideas. We seek to encourage children’s natural curiosity by providing plenty of opportunities to investigate and explore inside and outside. We encourage our children to ‘have a go’ at every activity and to persevere to a satisfying conclusion.
Our curriculum is sequentially planned and delivered to build on children’s experiential knowledge, and to further provide them with new experiences and skills to develop the ‘foundational’ subject knowledge they need to secure their future learning aligned with the Key Stage One curriculum subject programmes of study, and beyond. This prepares our children in readiness to access the Key Stage One curriculum as they transition from Reception into year 1.
Our curriculum prioritises children’s reading, communication, vocabulary, and language development as these skills are central to ensuring better literacy and wider outcomes for every child, including the most disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs. Phonics sessions are started within the first few weeks of school, as is access to high quality phonics reading books.
We believe that the curriculum we provide at Hutton Henry C of E Primary School provides our children with the foundations to enjoy life long challenges and to develop a curious, questioning stance about the world we live in.
