At William Fletcher we teach the EYFS curriculum using the guidance document, Early Years Foundation Stage Development Matters.

There are seven areas of learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly important for building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving.

These are called the Prime Areas.

Communication and Language:
The number and quality of the conversations children have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, we are able to build children’s language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development:
PSED is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Underpinning their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. Planned activities in this area enable our children to go on to be kind and caring members of our school community.

Physical Development:
Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination and positional awareness. At William Fletcher we carefully plan activities for children to develop both their fine and gross motor skills.

The other four areas of the curriculum are called the specific areas. We plan for each of these areas:

Literacy   
Comprehension, reading and writing

Mathematics
Number and Numerical patterns

Understanding the World
Past, present, people and communities and the natural world

Expressive Arts and Design
Creating with materials, being imaginative and expressive.

Reading and Phonics
It is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together.

At William Fletcher School Primary, we follow the Essential Letters and Sounds phonics scheme to teach children the knowledge they need to become confident readers and, eventually, confident writers. Each child participates in daily phonics sessions. In addition, we plan for a range of activities which teach children the listening and sound discrimination skills they need in order to read. The following video link demonstrates how to pronounce the pure sounds in phonics.