Reception at Ludworth

Our curriculum and the way in which we deliver it, instils a passion for learning in all our children and equips them for successful lives beyond school. We intend to teach children the essential knowledge they need in all subject areas and to equip them with the skills to become the best form of themselves, opening doors to the future of their choice and become respectful citizens knowing their rights and responsibilities and through becoming life-long learners. We believe that the EYFS curriculum gives children an excellent foundation for learning, however, our Curriculum goes way beyond this and represents the framework through which we impart the core body of knowledge that our children will need. 

Our ambition is for all children to become curious and independent learners, developing a full appreciation of the world in which they are growing up and to feel a sense of awe and wonder about the vastness of human creativity, difference and achievement. 

Our Curriculum :

Narrative Immersion Approach and Rainbow Challenges

Narrative Immersion:

The highlight of the week is our storybox ritual on a Monday morning, we meet a character from our text and problem solve and explore our chosen book. We are all fully committed to delivering a narrative immersion approach, which puts stories and drama at the heart of our curriculum. 

How do stories help develop learners?

• Support pupils to develop key life skills.
• Develop children’s thinking skills.
• Teach children facts, concepts and skills that accelerate their learning in a number of curriculum areas.
• Explore, enjoy and teach about language.
• Develop many aspects of emotional intelligence.

Why narrative immersion?

• It enables thematic teaching which helps embed literacy.
• Provides a vehicle for a broad and balanced curriculum.
• Is designed to accommodate coverage of many areas of the curriculum in depth.
• Builds broad conceptual and social frameworks into young minds and hearts.
• Enables pupils to grasp the art of story-telling.
• Develops a language rich environment.
• Provides a context for learning and gives it added value and purpose.

Narrative immersion is providing a context for the development of:

• Thinking skills
• Emotional intelligence
• The dispositions of independent learning

These align with the Characteristics of Effective Learning. 
Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL) are an element in the current Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). CoEL advocate that in planning and guiding children’s activities, practitioners must reflect on the different ways that children learn, and then reflect these in their practice. A child’s individual learning characteristic will determine the way they respond to both the teaching and learning taking place in the environment.

The three characteristics of effective teaching and learning identified by the EYFS are:

Playing and Exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’.

Active Learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements.

Creating and Thinking Critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

The focus of the CoELs is on how children learn rather than what they learn i.e. process over outcome. Underpinning the CoELs is the understanding that during their earliest years, children form attitudes about learning that will last a lifetime. Children who receive the correct support and encouragement during these years will be creative, and adventurous learners throughout their lives.

During their time within the EYFS at Ludworth Primary, we continually observe and assess the children displaying these characteristics. This enables our staff to build a holistic picture of the children and ensures we can plan for their next steps. It also allows practitioners to adapt and develop the environment in which the children learn and plan of future teaching and learning opportunities, to ensure every child can continue to learn and develop these characteristics for life long learning.

Rainbow Challenges:

Through our carefully sequenced and purposefully planned curriculum we ensure children in Reception complete both child-initiated activities as well as adult led learning opportunities within each week. Our Rainbow challenges enhance our continuous provision, providing our environment which we consider as our 3rd Teacher, to ensure children can learn and rememeber more whilst practising the necessary skills to aid their learning and development. We have 3 challenges over the first half term available which increases to 4 over the first half year and then up to 7 for our children to collect by the end of the academic year.

Progressively, throughout the year the challenges available for children to access increases in opportunity and level of challenge. Challenges are purposefully planned to enhance the provision and specifically target our children's identified next steps. 

Forest School

Every week the Reception children have a forest school session. We have lots of fun exploring our fantastic outdoor space that we have at school. During out forest school session we focus on our communication, teamwork and exploration skills. 

Phonics in EYFS (Supersonic Phonics Friends)

The children will learn how to read and write in Reception, it is amazing to see the progress they make so quickly. Once the children have settled we begin Phase 2. They will begin to receive key words which are common words found in their reading books. At the start of the year, children will take home a library book which they have chosen from our whole school library. Having conversations about these books will really instill the children's love for reading. After they have completed a few sounds the children will take home their reading books. This includes one reading level book and one phonics book. These have been chosen specifically for your child's level and knowledge of phonics sounds.

Once Phase 2 is completed the children will begin Phase 3, where children will start to learn more diagraphs and trigraphs which are two or three letters that make one sound, e.g. sh, air.

Parents as Partners

We know that establishing positive parental relationships are vital to seamlessly allowing children to thrive, with parents being their child's primary first most important teacher. We have many opportunities throughout the year where parents are welcomed into school to join their child’s learning journey.

In July, when we welcome our new starters in for transition sessions we also assign them to a ‘Success Square’ within the classroom. This is to establish a sense of belonging and also provides the opportunity for each child to take ownership of their learning from the moment they arrive in September. Each child’s Success Square showcases their learning over the half term. Then, at the end of every half term each half term, we invite parents in to share their child’s success and achievements.

In addition to this, we hold many opportunities throughout  the year when we invite parents in as a secret author or to share occupations, for instance.  This year this has included: maths and reading showcases where our parents have seen a range of provision activities that our child experience. There are also many opportunities, due to our open door policy, for parents to get involved and ask us any questions.

What our fantastic children say...

I like crafting in the creative area. I have made books with pictures and writing. Yesterday I made something for my grandma because she is going round soon.

I like playing with the numberblocks in the maths area. I like doing maths lessons on the carpet. I have enjoyed learning by watching videos.

I like playing in the playdough area. I enjoy making cakes and pancakes using the tools. I like learning new numbers too.

I like doing phonics, because we learn new sounds and rhymes. I have got better at my writing too. 

I love doing phonics because we learn sounds that we don't know already.

I like making paper laptops in the creative area and then I play games with them.

What our fantastic parents say...

My twins were initially excited about starting school last September but when it came to walking through the door they were both very nervous. All the early years team made them feel so welcome and part of something exciting. They came out thrilled and bursting to tell me all about their day including exploring the forest and the excitement of the magic story box. They always seem to have imaginative ways of teaching and engaging children. The parent/teacher support and communication has been excellent and my children absolutely adore their teachers and can't wait to see them on a Monday to tell them what they've done over the weekend. I was particularly worrying about how one would manage the transition into school but both have flourished and recognition awards for reading and writing. They've had a fantastic start thanks to the early years team.

My daughter has settled into reception fantastically. The teaching staff are warm and welcoming and she is excited to attend school each day. They manage to get the right balance between play and learning and her reading and spelling has come on tremendously since starting. Parents are invited into school regularly to view work and the classroom setting, which the children are always extremely excited about. It is a very happy and nurturing setting for their first year at school.

We are so pleased we chose Ludworth as our son’s school - he is nurtured, cared for and enjoys so many various activities. The provision in the EYFS is just wonderful and the teachers are incredibly caring. Our son has made amazing progress already and he skips into school every day.

My daughter loves reception, she loves her teachers and we have many many drawings with love hearts and thank you messages.
She loves phonics and often comes home and teaches us about the sounds she is learning that week. She loves provision time and all the dedicated play spaces available to her in reception. Fabulous school and fabulous dedicated teachers.