EYFS Provision

Welcome to our Early Years Page! Here you will find lots of information about our curriculum; how we enhance children's learning and development through phonics, maths and continuous provision; and all about our outdoor and classroom learning environments. 

You will also be able to see photographs and videos of all the exciting activities that we have been doing in our lessons through our home school app - Reach More Parents. Reach More Parents will keep you up-to-date with all the key dates and important information as we go through the year. 

Curriculum

We provide all children with a rich and exciting curriculum based in our school values of Kindness, Respect, Resilience and Diversity. We believe that play is a huge part in a child's early development and therefore learning through play is the key to acheiving future academic success.

We ensure that all children are provided with real life experiences within the provision as well as through additional trips and visitors into school. We plan for themes of learning which promote wonder, challenge and adventure, which also tailoring these learning opportunities to children's interests. We want children to become creative critical thinkers who take an active approach to their learning.

We encourage children to play and explore by providing them with the skills and resources needed to become the best that they can be and take risks in their learning. We ensure all learning is inclusive and high-quality for learners of all abilities. Staff are all suitably training to provide the best learning opportunities for all children. 

Phonics and Early Reading

Children's phonics and reading journey starts in Nursery, where phonics sessions are delivered daily and focus on the systematic teaching of 'Phase 1' Phonics skills using the Little Wandle Scheme. Phase 1 Phonics focus on developing speaking and listening skills which are important in creating the foundations of children's future learning. Phase 1 is split into seven aspects: 

•  environmental sounds 
• instrumental sounds 
• body sounds
• rhythm and rhyme 
• alliteration
• voice sounds
• oral blending and segmenting 

In Reception, children begin Phase 2 Phonics of the Little Wandle Scheme. This phase focuses on the systematic teaching of letters and their corresponding sounds. For more information about the Little Wandle Phonics Scheme, please follow this link to the Little Wandle website. There is also further information on phonics in our reading curriculum page. 

Early mathematics

The early years of a child's life are especially important for mathematical development. At Irlam Endowed, we strive to create critical thinkers and confident mathematicians which starts with our approach to early mathematics. Mathematics is delivered through many practical activities and challenges aimed at encourgaging children to count, compare and compose numbers, patterns, shapes, spaces and measures. 

In Nursery, mathematics is taught through numbers in the environment, numbers of personal significance, number games, number hunts, books, number rhymes and number play. This develops when children enter Reception, where children are taught mathematics through practical activities using the White Rose Maths Scheme. For more information on the White Rose Maths Scheme, please follow this link.