Queniborough
Primary School
• To ensure all children have a safe, happy, positive and nurturing start to their school life.
• To provide broad, balanced, relevant and engaging learning experiences needed to develop the skills and attitudes required to be a successful learner.
• To deliver quality and consistency in teaching and learning so that every child makes good progress.
• To work closely with parents and carers ensuring a strong relationship between home and school is developed.
The Foundation Stage classroom is organised to allow children to explore and learn safely and securely. There are specific areas, which enable children to be active, quiet, creative, imaginative or reflective.
Children have access to both indoor and outdoor areas across the day. These are organised so that children have the opportunity to engage in activities and explore resources, which reflect the seven areas of learning.
Good relationships with parents are, we believe, key to a child’s success at school. At Queniborough, we work hard to foster positive relationships with parents and this begins in the Foundation Stage. Before starting school, parents are invited to attend meetings with both the staff and headteacher so that the values, routines and expectations of the school are shared. 1-1 meetings are also held with parents so that they may share their knowledge and understanding of their child. Parents are welcome to attend a stay and play session before beginning school and are also welcome to spend a morning with us through the ‘ Be a learner’ programme. We also use an online learning journal to share children’s experiences and progress at school, which parents are free to add to as they wish. We operate an open-door policy in the Foundation Stage class and staff are always happy to discuss any concerns parents have. We welcome parents into the class to support us with activities and our weekly swimming sessions.
Our early years setting follows the curriculum as outlined in the 2017 statutory framework of the EYFS. This framework includes seven areas of learning and development, which are considered equally important and inter-connected. Three of these areas, known as the prime areas, are particularly significant as they underpin the remaining four areas of learning, known as the specific areas of learning.
The prime areas are:
• Communication and Language :
Listening and attention,
Understanding
Speaking
• Physical Development :
Moving and handling
Health and self-care
• Personal, Social and Emotional development:
self-awareness
Making relationships
Managing feelings and behaviour
Self-confidence and
The specific areas of learning are:
• Literacy:
Reading
Writing
• Mathematics
Number
Shape and measures.
• Understanding the world:
People and communities
The World
Technology
• Expressive Arts and Design:
Exploring and using media
Materials and being imaginative
At Queniborough Primary School we recognise that children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates. We value all areas of learning and development equally, understanding that they are interconnected
Staff ensure there is a balance between child and adult-led learning, with the balance between the two evolving as the year progresses. During child-initiated activities, the role of the adult is paramount in building children’s understanding and guiding new learning. Adult model learning behaviour and question children so that these activities are maximised for their learning potential. We believe that learning through play is an important part of early year’s development, providing the activities are stimulating and relevant to children’s interests and experiences. Adult led activities, providing direct teaching, are also a crucial part of children’s learning and some direct teaching takes place daily for all children.
