In The Early years at Lower meadow, we aspire to enable our pupils to become confident, independent learners who are well prepared with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.
Our language rich curriculum is designed with literacy at the heart to address language deprivation. We ensure that children are regularly exposed to a wide range of books and these texts are used wherever possible to make links with the various topics that we teach.
Staff use their speech and language expertise to model and support children’s communication skills, enabling children to confidently communicate with both adults and their peers. Adult interactions are key to moving learning along and adults spend a good proportion of their time with children playing in the provision.
We focus on supporting the child’s personal, social and emotional development to enable them to effectively access the curriculum and become well regulated, independent learners. The development of fine and gross motor skills through a variety of activities in our provision, is vital to ensure that our children are able to move confidently and effectively, so that they are well prepared for the writing expectations in key stage one.
Our children shape their knowledge and understanding of all areas of the curriculum through first hand experiences wherever possible. This hands-on exploration and discovery provide strong links, developing children’s knowledge along with providing opportunities to promote the characteristics of effective learning.
Implementation
Progression Grids
Each area of learning is carefully mapped out so that there is clear progression. These are displayed in each area so that all adults can support and challenge children while in provision.
progression in communication and language
Parent Guide to Early learning goals – Parent Guide to Early Learning Goals
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PKS Curriculum
We are currently working with the Knowledge Schools Trust on their Primary Knowledge Curriculum (PKC) to ensure that our provision for Science, History, Geography and Art is a ‘carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum which aims to inspire pupils, promote excellent outcomes for all and overcome inequality of opportunity.’
We have focused our curriculum on what content should be taught, in what order, whilst reflecting upon what children remember and how they remember it. This allows children to make meaningful connections and gain an understanding of how our world is connected. The Primary Knowledge Curriculum (PKC) has been developed in line with current thinking on how children learn. Importantly, findings from cognitive science are beginning to influence practice in the classroom.
An essential element of a knowledge curriculum is the development of a broad and rich vocabulary, and the ambitious and explicit teaching of this. The vocabulary content of the Primary Knowledge Curriculum has been planned with the purpose of addressing the ‘word gap’ for children who enter school with a limited vocabulary.