Early Years Foundation Stage Policy 2021-2022 - and Pembroke Pumpkins Early Years - Pembroke Park ...

Pembroke Park Primary School
    and Pembroke Pumpkins Early Years

    Early Years Foundation
          Stage Policy
           2021-2022

                                    Reviewed by Katy Tennant
     Policy written and approved:
                                          October 2021

          Next review date:             September 2022

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The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) applies to children from birth to the
end of their reception year. Pembroke Pumpkins Early Years Foundation Stage
accommodates children from the term after they turn 3 to 5. We have an Early
Years Unit, which offers a teacher led learning environment, with modern well-
resourced learning opportunities. To ensure best practice we have Level 3
Qualified Early Years Educators, alongside a NNEB Nursery Nurse and a
qualified teacher.

Aims

 At Pembroke Pumpkins we aim to provide the highest quality care and
education for all our children therefore giving them the strong foundation for
their future. We aim to ensure that all our children develop into independent
and lifelong learners. Our high expectations will enable children to develop
socially, physically, intellectually and emotionally and to achieve their full
potential. We will ensure that all our children are kept healthy and safe and
that they achieve the knowledge and skills they need to start in Key Stage 1.

    “When we succeed in giving every child the best start in their early years, we
     give them what they need today. We also set them up with every chance of
                               success tomorrow.”

                          Development Matters Sept 2020

Curriculum

Pembroke Pumpkins follow the curriculum as outlined in the EYFS document.
The EYFS is based on seven key features of effective practice as set out in
Development Matters 2020
1. The best for every child
2. High-quality care
3. The curriculum: what we want children to learn
4. Pedagogy: helping children to learn
5. Assessment: checking what children have learnt
6. Self-regulation and executive function
7. Partnership with parents

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As part of our best practice we:

 • Provide a balanced curriculum, based on the EYFS, across the seven areas of
learning
 • Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice
 • Provide early intervention for those who need additional support
 • Work in partnership with parents and where needed, outside agencies
 • Plan challenging learning experiences for all our children, based on the
individual needs of the child
 • Provide opportunities for our children to engage in adult led learning and
self-initiated learning
 • Provide a secure and safe learning environment indoors and outdoors
 • Plan an exciting and challenging curriculum based on our observations of
children’s needs, interests and stages of development across the seven areas
of learning Areas of Learning.

Play
We recognise that play has a fundamental role in Early Years Foundation
Stage education, supplying the foundation upon which learning is built.
Play is an essential and rich part of the learning process, upon which
further skills and knowledge can be developed.

We believe that well planned play gives each child opportunities to:

       •   Make sense of their world through exploration and opportunity
       •   Build upon and refine skills
       •   Be active in their own learning
       •   Be confident to take risks and explore new activities/resources
       •   Become independent learners
       •   Be able to negotiate, take turns and reason

The EYFS is made up of three prime areas of learning:

 • Personal, Social and Emotional Development
 • Communication and Language
• Physical Development

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There are four specific areas of learning:

 • Literacy
 • Maths
 • Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

All seven areas of learning and development are important and
interconnected.

At Pembroke Pumpkins, children are provided with a range of rich, meaningful
first-hand experiences, in which children can explore, think creatively and are
educationally active. We provide a well -balanced curriculum and our planning
ensures that each child has the opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills
and understanding in every area of the EYFS. Each area of learning and
development is implemented through planned, purposeful activities and
through a mix of adult led and child-initiated learning.

Parents as Partners

We value the role of parents as a child’s first educator and strongly believe
that when parents and practitioners work together with a shared aim this
greatly influences their child’s learning.

We therefore aim to develop and maintain an effective partnership with parents
and want all parents to:

      • Feel welcomed and valued.
      • Share information about their child’s interests or any concerns they
        have.
      • Understand and support the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.
      • Support their child and work as partners with staff for the benefit of
        their child’s education.

We hope to achieve this by:

      • Home visits/one to one meetings, story time sessions and open
        mornings.
      • Sharing information with parents through our booklets, letters, notice
        boards and parent meetings.

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• Informal meetings on a regular basis, we have an open- door policy
        where parents can arrange to meet with staff to discuss concerns.
      • Welcoming parents as voluntary helpers.
      • Formal meetings to talk about their child’s progress and achievements.
      • Annual reports.
      • Class Dojo for updates and frequent communication.

Special Needs/Inclusion within the Foundation Stage

We believe that every child is entitled to develop their full potential. We
adhere to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice used by the main
school. We continually observe and monitor how the children are
progressing and change plans and support to ensure that each child is
progressing. Close liaison with parents, health services, Special Needs Co-
ordinator, Speech Therapist, Advisory Teachers, Health Visitors, Parent
Support Service, Social Services, EMTAS ,Early Years Inclusion Officers
Children’s Centres and all other appropriate outside agencies ensures that
the appropriate provision is made. Parents are encouraged to share their
concerns and to be involved in the programme to support their children’s
needs. Once a Special Need has been identified a one page profile or
support plan may be required. These are discussed with parents, monitored
regularly and shared with all Foundation Stage staff.

Inclusion
All children will receive quality first teaching on a daily basis and activities will
be differentiated accordingly. In addition to this, where children have been
identified as having a specific need intervention programmes will be
implemented. Teachers and Learning Coaches plan programmes together and
where needed with liaison with the SENDCO. (Please refer to the ‘SEND Policy’
for greater detail). The needs of children with English as an additional language
will be met through appropriate planning and support.

Equal Opportunities

We promote equal opportunities and high achievement for all. We foster this
right through:
   • Planning carefully to ensure all children can access the curriculum and
       that the curriculum meets individual needs.
   • Provision is made for children with additional needs.

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• A close relationship with the SENCO.
    • Specialist support and outside agencies consulted where appropriate.
    • All staff are aware of and promote equal opportunities.

Behaviour and Rewards

Expectations of behaviour are of a high standard; this is in relation to caring for
our environment, treating our friends with respect, demonstrating friendly
behaviour and the way in which children respond to adults.

Adults use clear and concise language whilst reinforcing the behavioural
expectations; we always look for the positives. We establish the expectations
and communicate this with children in an appropriate manner. We also:

    •   Use whole class sessions to discuss behaviour
    •   Use positive praise and encouragement
    •   Adults model the behaviour we expect
    •   Encourage children to talk about their choices and support them to
        verbalise their feelings

It is important that any issues regarding behaviour are discussed with parents
so that we can work in partnership to support children/families. We use a
range of strategies to help children who require extra support to follow
expectations, such as stickers, rewards and lots of praise. Where appropriate a
5 minute timer can be used to allow a child time to settle and discuss their
behaviour choices after an incident.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting
• Assessments are made in line with the EYFS
• Daily practice includes observations of children’s development and progress
• Discussions are held with all adults in EYFS about individual children’s
development and next steps
• An end of year report is provided to all parents/carers on their child’s
development against the seven areas of learning
• At the end of Reception children are assessed against the Early Learning
Goals for each area of learning

Reception Induction/Transition

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Nursery and Reception liaise throughout the year but the formal induction to
Reception begins in the summer term prior to the children starting in
September, when the following takes place:

      • Staff invite parents/carers to a meeting where school routines and
        policies are explained.
      • The new intake have a play session with their parents.
      • The new intake have a play session in the classroom without their
        parent.
      • Information about the school is given to parents at the welcome
        meeting.

Children already in our Nursery will have daily opportunities to explore the
Reception classrooms as we work as a unit and will already be familiar with the
learning environment/adults.

Health and Safety/Safeguarding
Children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their
individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the
adults caring for them. We follow the safeguarding and welfare requirements
detailed in the ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance and
adhere to the School’s safeguarding policy. We are a healthy school and
participate in the free fruit and milk for under-fives scheme. For our Reception
children we provide the universal infant free school meal and the menu is
regularly monitored with the catering department. We cater for those children
who have special dietary requirements and have robust systems in place
ensuring that all children receive the correct meal. Fresh water is readily
available for all children and we encourage children to bring in water bottles
with water only. Children are taught the importance of keeping clean and
washing their hands correctly along with oral health.

Nappy changing/intimate care/toilet training

We understand that in the Nursery, children may still be potty training or have
occasional toileting accidents. Parents are asked to give permission for
accidental changes and for nappy changing upon starting in each class. The
school intimate care policy is then followed for the procedure of how this will
take place with the addition of two adults being present for safeguarding

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purposes. Individual toileting plans may also be written with parents if
appropriate. Reception aged children are encouraged to change themselves as
much as possible with verbal guidance.

Children’s Rights

We believe that every child should be treated as an individual and all children
should be treated with equal respect regardless of their personal or family
circumstances.

This policy is an additional policy for the foundation stage (Nursery and
Reception) but should be read in conjunction with whole school policies and
procedures in place as these are followed in the foundation stage too.

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