EYFS
Welcome to our Early Years Foundation Stage
Ofsted recently awarded Barton Hill Academy "Good with Outstanding Early Years Provision".
Our curriculum is centred around knowledge, skills and children's interests. We have developed a curriculum that ensures EYFS children are introduced to the powerful knowledge that needs to be explicitly taught so they are able to access their future curriculum. This is enriched with new experiences and opportunities and of course child led learning.
Our highly skilled practitioners use high quality interactions to ensure they meet the needs and interests of all children. Through skilled questioning practitioners identify the child’s interests and know when and how to intervene to help move the child’s learning on in that moment. Importantly they also know when interacting could be interfering and therefore detrimental to the child’s play and learning at that moment.
Adult led learning inputs within both the Nursery and Reception classes are planned to ensure all children are exposed to all areas of the EYFS curriculum and the identified knowledge and skills. This knowledge is carefully mapped and gives the children the components they need to access the wider curriculum and the skills they need to apply the knowledge in their own enquiry and exploration. We believe and have already seen that children being offered all these experiences will make rapid progress in their development.
As a school we are delighted to be recognised by Early Excellence as a Partner School for 2024/25, to host events and share good practice in our area.
Early Excellence are a highly regarded organisation that promote inspirational learning, offering School Improvement & Bespoke Consultancy as well as educational resource solutions focused on early primary EYFS & KS1.
The Child’s Spark – This is when the child first shows an interest in something. There should be an air of fascination around the object and concentration in what they are now doing.
The Teachable Moment – The adults will notice this and approach the child. This is the opportunity to extend their interest, by asking open-ended questions and considering ways to apply this interest to other options within the environment.
The Documentation – At a later date, you can document the observation. Include the spark, the teachable moment and what you did next. This will help you to map out each child’s interests, and plan an environment that works for them.
Enabling Environments
The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
At Barton Hill Academy we recognise that the learning environment plays a key role in supporting and extending the children’s development. This includes using the wonderful woodland site and outdoor area at our school where our children can work and play outdoors on a large scale surrounded by wildlife.
The Early Years Foundation Stage inside and outside areas are organised to allow children to explore and learn securely and safely. There are places where the children can be active, be quiet and rest. Children are encouraged to find and locate equipment and resources independently. Labels include pictures to help pre-readers and everything they are allowed to use is within their reach. Children’s learning and development is assessed by observation so new experiences and activities can be planned to challenge them.
Within the EYFS area provision is made to cater for the children’s emotional wellbeing. Daily circle time sessions are held where children are encouraged to talk about their emotions and the children are free to express their feelings as appropriate using the ‘feelings wall’ which relates to our Jigsaw scheme, which we follow throughout the whole school.
Transition
Transition with Pre-Schools
Whilst the children are in pre-school, they will be visited by Barton Hill Academy’ staff to prepare them for changing school. During the Summer Term, the academy holds a meeting where parents can meet The Principle, teaching staff, uniform providers and Health Professionals as well as learn about basic skills teaching. The children have stay and play sessions where they can meet their new friends and teacher in their new classroom. When the children first arrive at Barton Hill Academy the routines in the Reception class are flexible to allow for the children to settle and for staff to meet their individual needs.
Transition within the Academy
Everyone at Barton Hill Academy works well as part of a community within school. Children of all ages know each other and the staff well as they see each other regularly in play times, clubs and around school. Staff also know the children, including those not in their own classes. This helps to promote appropriately high expectations for academic achievement, feelings of belonging and community so the children feel safe, confident and happy.
