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Early Years
Welcome to Birch Class
Starting school is a huge milestone and one that we believe should be full of excitement, curiosity and joy. At Rowde, our Reception children begin their journey in Birch Class, where we create a nurturing environment in which every child feels safe, valued and ready to learn.
Our vision of Learn, Grow, Love is at the heart of everything we do. We know that children thrive when they feel that they belong, so we invest time in building strong relationships with every child and family from the very beginning. We have high expectations, but believe these are best achieved through kindness, encouragement and a genuine love of learning.
Intent
At Rowde, we believe the Early Years lays the foundations for a lifetime of learning. We want every child to leave Reception as a confident, independent and enthusiastic learner who is ready for the next stage of their education.
Our curriculum is carefully designed to inspire curiosity, develop a love of learning and nurture the whole child. Through rich stories, meaningful play, exciting first-hand experiences and purposeful teaching, children develop the knowledge, skills and vocabulary they need to flourish both now and in the future. Communication and language sits at the heart of everything we do, alongside early reading, writing and mathematics.
Every child is unique. We recognise their individual starting points, interests and needs, providing an ambitious and inclusive curriculum where every child feels valued, challenged and able to succeed. Strong relationships with families ensure that we work together to support each child's development and wellbeing.
Implementation
Our Reception curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and is carefully planned across the seven areas of learning. Through a balance of adult-led teaching, child-initiated exploration and high-quality continuous provision, children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to flourish.
Learning is brought to life through exciting themes, carefully chosen high-quality texts and memorable experiences that encourage children to ask questions, solve problems and make connections with the world around them. Alongside this, children build secure foundations in early reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, develop mathematical understanding through the Mastering Number programme, and learn through our carefully planned indoor and outdoor environments.
Our skilled adults know every child well. Through careful observation, questioning and high-quality interactions, learning is continually adapted so that every child is challenged, supported and encouraged to make excellent progress. We place great importance on developing independence, resilience and positive learning behaviours, working closely with parents to ensure every child has the very best start to school.
The Seven Areas of Learning
The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum is built around seven interconnected areas of learning and development.
Prime Areas
- Communication and Language
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
These areas work together throughout every day, rather than being taught in isolation, enabling children to make meaningful connections across their learning.
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Alongside developing knowledge and skills, we nurture the learning behaviours that help children become successful learners for life.
- Playing and Exploring – investigating, discovering, being curious and having a go.
- Active Learning – concentrating, persevering when learning becomes challenging and taking pride in achievements.
- Creating and Thinking Critically – developing ideas, solving problems, making connections and thinking creatively.
These characteristics are woven through every aspect of life in Birch Class and help children develop the confidence, resilience and independence needed to flourish throughout their education.
Impact
By the end of Reception, our children are happy, confident and resilient learners who enjoy coming to school and are excited by learning.
They leave Birch Class with secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, alongside the communication, social and emotional skills that enable them to thrive throughout their school journey. More importantly, they develop the confidence to ask questions, persevere when learning is challenging, work collaboratively with others and embrace new experiences.
Our children move into Year 1 as curious, independent learners who are well prepared to continue to Learn, Grow and Love, equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to flourish both in school and beyond.
Reception Curriculum and Long Term Plan
