What is the Foundation What is the Foundation Stage?Stage?

Play is children’s workPlay is children’s work

AssessmentAssessment

All children are assessed through observation when they start All children are assessed through observation when they start school to find out what they school to find out what they ‘can do’‘can do’..

This feeds into the Foundation Stage Profile- which is the This feeds into the Foundation Stage Profile- which is the assessment which is completed throughout the year for all assessment which is completed throughout the year for all children in Reception.children in Reception.

At Goonhavern we keep a comprehensive record of your At Goonhavern we keep a comprehensive record of your child’s year in Reception in their ‘Learning Journal’. This child’s year in Reception in their ‘Learning Journal’. This takes the form of photographs, children’s work and written takes the form of photographs, children’s work and written observations. observations.

What is the Foundation Stage?What is the Foundation Stage?

The Foundation Stage focuses on the distinct needs of The Foundation Stage focuses on the distinct needs of children aged three to five or, in Goonhavern School’s children aged three to five or, in Goonhavern School’s case, until the end of the reception year. case, until the end of the reception year.

The Foundation Stage has its own curriculum which The Foundation Stage has its own curriculum which emphasises learning based on play and experiences.emphasises learning based on play and experiences.

It is a broad, balanced and purposeful curriculum, It is a broad, balanced and purposeful curriculum, delivered through planned play activities to help ensure delivered through planned play activities to help ensure all children have the opportunity to reach their full all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential and experience the best possible start to their potential and experience the best possible start to their education.education.

The Six Areas of the Curriculum:The Six Areas of the Curriculum:

Personal, Social and Emotional DevelopmentPersonal, Social and Emotional Development Communication, Language and LiteracyCommunication, Language and Literacy Mathematical Development Mathematical Development Knowledge and Understanding of the WorldKnowledge and Understanding of the World Creative DevelopmentCreative Development Physical DevelopmentPhysical Development

The curriculum for the foundation stage The curriculum for the foundation stage underpins all future learning by supporting, underpins all future learning by supporting,

fostering, promoting and developing children’s:fostering, promoting and developing children’s:

personal, social and emotional well-being personal, social and emotional well-being positive attitudes and dispositions towards their learningpositive attitudes and dispositions towards their learning social skills social skills attention skills and persistenceattention skills and persistence language and communicationlanguage and communication reading and writingreading and writing mathematics mathematics knowledge and understanding of the worldknowledge and understanding of the world physical developmentphysical development creative development creative development

Personal and Social DevelopmentPersonal and Social Development Successful Personal, Social and Emotional Development is Successful Personal, Social and Emotional Development is

critical for very young children in all aspects of their lives critical for very young children in all aspects of their lives and gives them the best opportunity for success in all other and gives them the best opportunity for success in all other areas of learning. We believe that it is crucial that we areas of learning. We believe that it is crucial that we provide the experiences and support to enable children to provide the experiences and support to enable children to develop a positive sense of themselves.develop a positive sense of themselves.

For exampleFor example Name recognition Name recognition Reward charts Reward charts Offering choice and fostering independence Offering choice and fostering independence Circle timeCircle time Recognising and celebrating personal achievementsRecognising and celebrating personal achievements Modelling a positive, nurturing and supportive environmentModelling a positive, nurturing and supportive environment

Communication, Language and Communication, Language and LiteracyLiteracy

Communication, Language and Literacy depends on Communication, Language and Literacy depends on learning and being competent in a number of key learning and being competent in a number of key skills, together with having the confidence, skills, together with having the confidence, opportunity, encouragement, support and opportunity, encouragement, support and disposition to use them. This area of learning disposition to use them. This area of learning includes communication, speaking and listening in includes communication, speaking and listening in different situations and for different purposes, different situations and for different purposes, reading a wide range of books and simple texts and reading a wide range of books and simple texts and writing for a variety of purposes. writing for a variety of purposes. For exampleFor example

Opportunities for purposeful talkOpportunities for purposeful talk Role Play Role Play Writing table Writing table Listening corner Listening corner

Mathematical DevelopmentMathematical Development Mathematical developmentMathematical development depends on becoming confident and depends on becoming confident and

competent in learning and using key skills. This area of learning competent in learning and using key skills. This area of learning includes counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns, making includes counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns, making connections, recognising relationships and working with numbers, connections, recognising relationships and working with numbers, shapes, space and measures. Mathematical understanding should be shapes, space and measures. Mathematical understanding should be developed through stories, songs, games and imaginative play, so that developed through stories, songs, games and imaginative play, so that children can enjoy using and experimenting with numbers. This children can enjoy using and experimenting with numbers. This includes numbers larger than 10.includes numbers larger than 10. For exampleFor example

Playdough, making numbers, making shapes Playdough, making numbers, making shapes Mathematical gamesMathematical games Shape picturesShape pictures Number puzzlesNumber puzzles Problem solvingProblem solving Application through ‘everyday’ situationsApplication through ‘everyday’ situations Role play, timing, measuring, recording, counting and using mathematical languageRole play, timing, measuring, recording, counting and using mathematical language

Knowledge and Understanding of Knowledge and Understanding of the Worldthe World

In Knowledge and Understanding of the WorldIn Knowledge and Understanding of the World children children are developing the crucial knowledge, skills and are developing the crucial knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. understanding that help them to make sense of the world. It includes helping children develop the skills of It includes helping children develop the skills of observing, predicting, exploring, investigating, observing, predicting, exploring, investigating, interpreting, discussing, decision-making and using tools interpreting, discussing, decision-making and using tools and materials appropriately. and materials appropriately. For exampleFor example

Real experiences Real experiences ICT ICT Role playRole play Map work through stories Map work through stories Exploring the school environment Exploring the school environment Learning about ourselves, how we have grown and changes Learning about ourselves, how we have grown and changes

Physical DevelopmentPhysical Development Physical developmentPhysical development in the Foundation Stage is in the Foundation Stage is

about improving skills of co-ordination, control, about improving skills of co-ordination, control, manipulation and movement manipulation and movement (Fine and Gross motor (Fine and Gross motor skills).skills). Physical development has two other very Physical development has two other very important aspects. It helps children gain confidence important aspects. It helps children gain confidence in what they can do and enables them to feel the in what they can do and enables them to feel the positive benefits of being healthy and active. positive benefits of being healthy and active. For exampleFor example

PE sessions - gym, dance, games PE sessions - gym, dance, games Exploring the outside area Exploring the outside area Pencil control Pencil control Developing gross and fine motor skillsDeveloping gross and fine motor skills

Creative DevelopmentCreative Development Creative DevelopmentCreative Development is fundamental to successful is fundamental to successful

learning. Being creative enables children to make learning. Being creative enables children to make connections between one area of learning and another connections between one area of learning and another and so extend their understanding. This area of learning and so extend their understanding. This area of learning

includes art, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play.includes art, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play. For exampleFor example

Songs Songs Using instrumentsUsing instruments Painting, collage, clay, junk modelling, chalking... Painting, collage, clay, junk modelling, chalking...

Drama and role playDrama and role play

Why Play?Why Play? At Goonhavern we believe that play is a vital component At Goonhavern we believe that play is a vital component

of children's lives, without which their potential for healthy of children's lives, without which their potential for healthy mental and physical development is undermined. mental and physical development is undermined.

Play helps children to: Play helps children to: Be whole people Be whole people Be physically healthy Be physically healthy Be physically co-ordinated Be physically co-ordinated Be mentally healthy Be mentally healthy Co-ordinate ideas Co-ordinate ideas Deal with feelings and relationshipsDeal with feelings and relationships

Young children learn through play.Young children learn through play. They do not discern between what is work and They do not discern between what is work and

what is play and as practitioners and parents what is play and as practitioners and parents

neither should we.neither should we.

How do we show the children that we How do we show the children that we

value their value their playplay??

We plan for play We plan for play We plan for space both indoors and outdoors We plan for space both indoors and outdoors

to be optimised for learning through play to be optimised for learning through play Children have the opportunity to talk about Children have the opportunity to talk about

their play or display their own special their play or display their own special drawings and pictures in the classroomdrawings and pictures in the classroom

We extend and support Children's We extend and support Children's spontaneous play spontaneous play

We develop and extend children's language We develop and extend children's language and communication in their play.and communication in their play.