EYFS
Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage
We are incredibly proud of our Early Years Foundation Stage and we work hard to ensure the children make excellent progress through a fun and engaging learning journey. We want the children to have an unforgettable experience, in which they learn life long skills and gain an amazing, positive start to their education.
2024/2025
The EYFS at The Discovery School is made up of three classes.
The class names and staff are as follows:
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Newton Class who are taught by Miss Aiston and Mrs Baldwin and Mrs Sturge on Fridays.
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Jenner Class who are taught by Miss Harris and Miss Sales.
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Einstein Class who are taught by Mrs Moore and Miss Martin and Mrs Grieve on Fridays.
If you have any questions, concerns or queries that you would like to discuss with either your child's class teacher or the phase leader, please contact them using the email addresses below:
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Miss N Aiston - (EYFS Phase Manager) naiston@discovery.kent.sch.uk
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Mrs L Moore - lmoore@discovery.kent.sch.uk
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Miss G Harris - gharris@discovery.kent.sch.uk
Our Curriculum
At The Discovery School we use 'The Development Matters' to support our planning and we work towards achieving the Early Learning Goals stated in the Early Years Framework. To find out more information about these please click the links below:
Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage - aims for end of Reception
This is the new, up to date curriculum for 2021. We have simplified this for you so you can see more clearly examples of how your child might progress within their time in Reception:
In EYFS the children learn through child-initiated play, also known as Plan, Learn, Review. The children plan what they would like to do, they engage in their learning and, at the end of the session, they work with the class to review what they have learnt. The children are encouraged to use both the inside and outside learning environments, which are set up with continuous and enhanced provision. Continuous provision is the resources which are set up for a number of weeks in the environment and our enhanced provision are weekly/daily resources or activities which are set up and link to our termly curriculum overview (see below) or current learning taking place. All provision is carefully planned to ensure children's knowledge and skills are individually developed and learning opportunities are personalised to ensure every child makes excellent progress in their learning journey. Our environments are both supportive and challenging for our children and inspire and encourage their interests.
Alongside this the children are taught through adult-directed lessons or group activities. These include lessons such as phonics, guided reading, literacy, maths, topic, PE and many more. Through these inputs we teach the children new skills which they can then apply independently through their play.
Our Curriculum Overview
Across the year we focus the children's learning through a topic and we start our learning journey with a 'Question of Discovery'. The learning that takes place each term will have a focus around the chosen enquiry question and the children's next steps in their development. We understand the importance of using the children's interests to engage them in their learning so often we plan other lessons and activities around this. Our topics are very carefully planned and chosen to ensure we have full coverage of our curriculum across the year and they are planned to suit the needs and experiences of our cohort.
In the document below it states our topics across the year, these may be adapted throughout the year as we get to know the children. In this document we have also listed key dates to remember linked to the curriculum. This document will be updated regularly to show any changes:
Curriculum Web and Questions of Discovery
Alongside this we have a termly curriculum overview which includes the knowledge and skills we will be learning across the term. It is great to keep up to date with our termly overview as you may continue and extend this learning at home.
Term 1 Curriculum Overview - Why is it good to be me?
Term 2 Curriculum Overview - What are celebrations and why are they special?
Term 3 Curriculum Overview - Who are people that help us and what do they do?
Term 4 Curriculum Overview- What is a fairy tale and how do we become storytellers?
Term 5 Curriculum Overview- Why does it change from light to dark every day?
Term 6 Curriculum Overview: What lives on a farm and how are they special?
At the beginning of every new term, we will send you a termly newsletter which will inform you on the learning and experiences which will be taking place that term. This allows you to support your child at home with their learning and discuss what they have been up to at school. If you have any questions once you have looked through the newsletter, feel free to contact your class teacher and they will get back to you as soon as possible. Through our newsletters you will be able to see the progressive learning journey your child goes on whilst with us in Reception and how we build on prior learning experiences.
Focus Texts
For every topic and 'question of discovery', we choose a focus text and through the strategy of 'Talk for Writing' (See reading policy for more information), the children learn to act out and retell exciting stories. Once the children know the story well, we innovate the story and change it using the children's exciting ideas.
Below we have attached example focus texts across the year:
These may change due to the children's interests or change in topic. Sometimes the children even vote for the story they would like to learn!
Once the children have experienced a range of texts we encourage the children to begin making up their own stories and we call this the 'invention stage'. To support the children's story telling and writing development we use a tool called 'Tales Toolkit', shown in the image below. This helps your child to develop their knowledge of story structure and enable them to express their ideas and develop them into exciting stories. We believe it is very important that every child gets an opportunity to tell their own stories and bring them to life, we especially love doing this through role play!
For more information go to:
https://www.makebelievearts.co.uk/helicopterstorieslettingimaginationfly
"If children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they are four years old they are usually among the best readers by the time they're eight" - Mem Fox.
We are passionate about giving the children a rich experience of different texts and language so we also teach the children how to retell exciting poetry. We follow The Poetry Basket by Helicopter Stories to do this.
Reading
"Children are made readers on the laps of their parents" - Emilie Buchwald.
At The Discovery School we want to develop your child's love for reading. Through our Phonics scheme we do daily guided reading sessions which focus on developing the children's phonetic skills and allow them to use the knowledge they have developed and apply it to their reading. The texts we use link to the learning which has taken place in Phonics and enables the children to progress systematically. Every week we watch the children's confidence grow as they become fluent independent readers.
We are very passionate about giving each child a diverse experience of literature and we believe it is very important that this passion is also continued at home. We offer a range of reading opportunities for your child to do at home:
Home Readers
Every Friday your child will receive two books from our reading scheme; these books will match your child's reading ability and this will be frequently assessed and reviewed to ensure the books support their progress. You will also receive one picture book which you can read to your child at home. Please make sure your child's books are returned every Thursday for them to be changed. If books are not read they will not be changed. Please take your time with the home readers, you do not have to read the whole book in one session, this will also support your child's to stay engagement with the text.
Every week we will also send you the book we have been reading in our guided reading sessions, so your child can practise reading it to you at home. We will upload this via their online learning journal, Tapestry.
Reading Record
Every child will have their own yellow reading record. Inside your reading record it gives you a clear example on how to use it. Please remember to write down when your child has read so we can give out rewards in Celebration Assembly for commitment towards their reading.
We encourage the children to 4/5 times a week outside of school and if they do so they will receive a reward such as a special sticker or certificate.
These books can also be used to communicate with us at any point, they are checked daily.
Phonics
At The Discovery School we follow the FFT (Family Fisher Trust) Phonics Scheme. Please refer to our Phonics page for more information.
Below are two informative Sways to give you information on how we teach Phonics, reading and writing in EYFS:
Phonics at The Discovery School
Reading and Writing in EYFS at The Discovery School
Guided Reading
In EYFS the children take part in daily guided reading sessions. These books will be accessible via the FFT parent portal: https://parents.fft.org.uk/ and the title of the book we have read that week will be uploaded onto Tapestry. Please do not read ahead as this will ensure books are kept fresh and exciting to the children in our guided reading sessions.
Maths in the Early Years
In Reception your child will be learning a range of mathematical skills which include number, counting, ordering, sorting, patterns, problem solving and will learn a range of mathematical language. An interest in maths and problem solving will be encouraged through games and fun hands on activities. Much of your child’s learning will come from exploring and talking about maths in the world around them and how they can use these mathematical skills in day to day tasks or exploration.
"Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers." Development Matters 2021
To support our planning for maths, we use the scheme White Rose Maths. For more information please visit: https://whiterosemaths.com/
Below is a useful video to help you understand the important mathematical skills which are taught in the early years:
Useful websites to support your child's maths at home:
Tapestry
At The Discovery School, we use Tapestry which is an online learning journal for each child. Your child will have their own individual log in, in which you can view weekly pictures or videos of your child's learning. You can comment on these observations and you can add your child's home achievements, which we can celebrate at school on a Friday! Alongside Tapestry your child will also have their own Literacy/Phonics and Mathematics books, in which we will keep all their amazing work and they have access to on a daily basis to revisit their prior learning experiences.
We also upload weekly home learning challenges linked to the learning taking place that week. These are OPTIONAL. We also hand out various handwriting and phonics writing challenges into their book bags, these are also optional but are fantastic to recap on the children prior learning.
Below is a simple user guide:
Weekly Timetable
Below is an example of our weekly timetable, please remember this changes depending on the needs of the children:
Weekly Timetable
Our Weekly Routines
Jenner, Newton and Einstein will be having PE on a Fridays. Please can you make sure that your child has suitable clothing for these sessions, please refer to our school uniform page for more information.
We will hold a small Celebration Assembly in class every Friday. So, if your child has any special sporting awards or certificates they would like to bring in to share during this assembly, please send them in on Friday morning.
On Thursdays we have 'Show and Tell', your child will have a letter with an allocated date and topic.
Please bring a named water bottle into school every day so that your child can have a drink whenever they need one. This bottle should contain water only.
Please ensure your child brings in their book bag every day.
Provision Maps
Please click here to access the whole school provision map outlining all the interventions taking place in the school. If you have questions about any of the provision that is taking place for your child, please ask your child's class teacher.
Resources to support your child at home (parents consultation discussions):