The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a play-based curriculum that childcare providers use as a tool to ensure that children from birth to five (the end of the Reception year) are developing and learning to their full potential. We plan and provide a range of play activities, which help children to make progress in each of the seven areas of learning which are:

Prime Areas

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Physical Development

• Communication and Language

Specific Areas

• Literacy

• Mathematics

• Understanding the World

• Expressive Arts and Design

The prime areas are the most essential for your child’s development which in turn will support your child’s learning in the specific areas.

At Canvey Island Infant School Nursery, we have a rich and engaging EYFS curriculum where the children are active learners and are nurtured to develop a curiosity about the world around them. Play helps young children to learn and develop their vital physical, social, emotional and communication skills. Adults carefully question and pose ideas to support the children in both their planned and child-initiated activities so that they can progress in in their learning and thinking.

The adults in the nursery will observe children in their play to assess their current stage of development. This will then enable the adults to plan activities and learning experiences to meet the individual needs of the children.

Curriculum

At Canvey Island Infant School Nursery, there is a two year rolling curriculum. The nursery curriculum provides a fantastic start to the children's learning journey's and is built on in a purposeful, progressive and systematic way throughout each year group at Canvey Island Infant School. This curriculum is adaptable and staff make changes throughout the year based on children's interests.

Phonics

In nursery, the children will start by learning Phase 1 phonics. This is where they practise listening skills and tune into environmental sounds, instrumental sounds and body percussion before moving on to rhyme and alliteration.

In the Spring and Summer terms, the children will begin to learn two or three sounds a week, which will follow the Read, Write Inc programme taught in the main school.

Maths

In nursery, much of the maths is learnt through play and exploration. Staff will develop activities to support, engage and challenge learning.

Each day the children will have the opportunity to participate in a ‘Number Time’ session where they will sing number songs; count to 10; explore the days of the week and months of the year; and learn to recognise shapes. There will also be some links to ‘Numberblocks’.

Tapestry

During their time in both Nursery and Reception at Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery, each child will have their own ‘Learning Journey’. We use the online journal called ‘Tapestry’. This is a collaborative tool which collates notes, photos, videos and assessments of your child’s learning experiences from both nursery, school and from home.

Key Person

A key person is assigned to your child. This will be a member of our staff who will get to know you and your child well. The key person makes sure that, within the day-to-day demands of the setting, each child feels special and safe. Parents will have the opportunity to build a relationship with their child’s key person and to liaise with someone who is fully committed and familiar with their child.

Parent partnerships are extremely important to us here at Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery and we value your support and commitment to your child’s learning journey whilst a member of the school community.