Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum

The Foundation Curriculum comprises of seven areas of learning and development. There are three prime areas and four specific areas. These areas are all very much interconnected.

The prime areas build the foundations for learning and relationships.

The three prime areas are:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Physical Development

Communication and Language

The specific areas allow children to strengthen and apply the prime areas.

The four specific areas are:

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the World

Expressive Arts and Design

We also consider how children are developing within the "Characteristics of Effective Learning". These explain the way in which a child engages with other people and their environment and how they will learn and develop across the seven areas of learning. The three characteristics are;

Playing and exploring 

Active learning 

Creating and thinking critically

The planning and teaching within Foundation Stage is organised to cover all of the seven areas of learning. We consider the needs of each and every child and adapt and respond to their own needs and interests. We build on children’s knowledge and skills over the year to work towards achieving the 17 Early Learning Goals at the end of the Reception year, as well as the children having gained a number of other skills and a wide range of knowledge. Teaching is done through play, small group work, whole class inputs and one to one support where needed.

Our aim at Godmanchester Bridge Academy is to provide pupils with a unique and enjoyable learning experience where they are offered varied and stimulating activities and resources to spark curiosity, develop their learning and promote consistent progress. We aim to promote a love of reading by introducing high quality texts that children get to know well in school and share at home. We consider the adventurous, challenging and exciting vocabulary we can learn through our topics which supports the children in their own understanding and explanations. By ensuring the children are secure in the prime areas then the specific, we prepare children for year one and beyond.

The current Foundation Stage topics are:

Autumn 1 - It’s Good to Be Me 

Autumn 2 - Let’s Celebrate

Spring 1 - Amazing Animals

Spring 2 – Get Outdoors

Summer 1 – Terrific Tales

Summer 2 – Off We Go

Assessment

Children are informally assessed throughout the year to monitor how they are progressing. We use SeeSaw to record observations of ‘WOW moments’. After the summer term assessment your child's teacher will complete a report which will outline the progress and attainment your child has made in their first year at school. You will find out if you child is ‘emerging’ (has not yet met the early learning goal) or ‘expected’ for each of the 17 areas of learning. Details of the early learning goals can be found below.