Page 43 - Prep School Parent Handbook 2018-2019

ACADEMIC INFORMATION Early Years Foundation stage
The curriculum taught in the EYFS Department meets the requirements set out in the Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Our curriculum planning focuses on the seven areas of learning. The three prime areas are: communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. The four speciic areas are literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world and expressive arts and design.
Our school fully supports the principle that young children learn through play and by engaging in well-planned structured activities inside and outside. Ongoing, informal assessments form an important part of curriculum planning for each child.
Subject specialists teach Computing, French, Music, Physical Education and sessions in the Library. Forest School, an outdoor learning programme, takes place for half a day a week. To ensure a structured, progressive approach to the teaching of reading and writing, the phonics scheme, ‘Read Write Inc’, is followed.
Key stage 1
The curriculum gradually becomes more formal in Key Stage 1, although the children’s learning is made meaningful and relevant to them through cross-curricular topics and many practical activities. There is a strong focus on developing luency in reading and writing, through the continuation of the ‘Read Write Inc’ phonics scheme. Conidence with maths is developed through the ‘Inspire’ scheme which builds up core mathematical skills. Forest School takes place one afternoon every two weeks. Subject specialists teach French, Music, Physical Education (including swimming), Computing, and sessions in the Library.
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