The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the stage of education from birth to five. At The Russell School this includes the Nursery and Reception years.

At The Russell School, our Early Years is committed to excellence in inclusive teaching and learning, enabling all of our young learners to achieve their full potential.

With the successful implementation of both a rich, well-rounded and balanced curriculum and a well-structured, safe, active and challenging learning environment (both indoors and outdoors), our children develop the skills, knowledge and understanding that enable them to be successful learners. They also begin to develop an understanding of our school values and what it means to be part of The Russell School family.

In the Early Years, children are actively engaged in learning and their enjoyment of this learning is apparent to all. All children experience an innovative curriculum that provides exciting and enriching learning experiences and opportunities for them to learn through educational visits and hands on experiences. Our children more fully appreciate and understand the world around them, experiencing and learning about different cultures, music, dance, art and history. They actively ask questions about their learning experiences and they are never be afraid to make a mistake, but instead, see this as an opportunity to learn. All of our children are skilled at solving problems; they have effectively developed their personal levels of resilience and independent learning. Our Reception classes are fully prepared for the next stage of their education as they transition from Foundation Stage to Year One.

We help children to make sense of the world around them, to develop tolerance, compassion and an understanding of their rights and the rights of others in an ever evolving world. Children, at the end of Foundation Stage, have developed the essential knowledge and skills required for everyday life and lifelong learning.

Our children are well rounded, happy, inquisitive and successful learners.

In the Early Years, children learn through a play based curriculum where they are given the opportunity to talk, observe, plan, question, experiment, test, repeat, reflect and respond; this could be independently, with peers or with adults. The EYFS provides children with the skills they need to progress onto Key Stage One (which includes Year One and Year Two). The staff across these stages of development work closely together to ensure our children have the best possible experience of education right from the start.

The practitioners working within the EYFS team focus on seven key areas of learning:

Phonics

Prime Areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
This includes making relationships, self-confidence and self-awareness and managing feelings and behaviour

Physical Development
This includes moving and handling (fine and gross motor skills), health and self-care

Communication and Language
This includes listening and attention, understanding and speaking

Specific Areas

Literacy
This includes reading and writing

Mathematics
This includes number, shape and space and measure

Understanding the World
This includes people and communities, the world and technology

Expressive Arts and Design
This includes exploring and using media and materials and being imaginative

The Big Ideas that underpin the Early Years at The Russell School