Early Years


Intent

The key priority is to lay the groundwork for the foundations of learning for our pupils. The highest emphasis is placed on safeguarding our children, ensuring they are safe and happy in school.

The EYFS at Mill Water School aims to equip our pupils to:

    • Communicate using a preferred method of communication starting with communicating choices
    • Build positive trusting relationships with adults and develop peer interactions
    • Engage in a range of adult led and self-led activities for increasing periods of time
    • Be inquisitive and motivated to explore the world around them
    • Follow and engage in routines including being able to transition between activities
    • Develop a widening range of likes and interests
    • Build resilience and perseverance
    • Be safe when moving around the classroom and school and when out and about
    • Be as independent as possible with feeding and self-care
    • Understand their emotions and what helps them regulate their emotions

Implementation

We build skills through sequential learning during exploration/play based learning activities within the continuous provision. Each child will access learning through play at their level alongside an adult and independently as well as engaging in adult led learning activities throughout the day.

We follow the EYFS statutory guidance and Development Matters non-statutory guidance and use this alongside EHCP outcomes and personal learning goals (PLG’s) as well as Characteristics of Effective Learning for assessment and next step learning.

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Impact

Our EYFS curriculum equips our pupils with the foundations that they need to be ready to access learning beyond EYFS by:

    • Equipping them with the means to communicate
    • Enabling them to feel happy and safe and able to recognise who and how to go to for interactions/support
    • Developing their awareness and interest in the world around them
    • Being able to engage in adult led and child led activities for longer periods of time
    • Being able to manage routines and transitions

It will be evidenced through meeting Education Health and Care Plan outcomes, and through progression through Development Matters, Personal Learning Goal targets and Characteristics of Effective Learning assessments on Evidence for Learning.