The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Brindishe Schools is made up of our Nursery (Brindishe Manor and Brindishe Green only) and our Reception classes. In these year groups, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. This sets out:

• 7 areas of learning and development which shape the provision in our Early Years settings
• Assessments that will tell us about your child’s developmental progress through the Early Years
• The EYFS profile - Expected levels that your child should reach at the end of the reception year; these expectations are called the Early Learning Goals (ELGs).
• The characteristics of effective learning are: playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’; active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements; and creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
• The legal welfare requirements that everyone registered to look after children must follow to keep your child safe and promote their welfare

How children learn in the Early Years

The EYFS Framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their development. The children will learn new skills, acquire knowledge and demonstrate their understanding across 7 areas of learning. The first three areas are the ‘prime areas’ because they lay the foundations for children’s success in all areas of learning and of life.

Our teachers will consider the individual needs, interests, and the stages of development of each child and use this information to plan appropriate, challenging and enjoyable learning opportunities for them in all the areas of their learning and development.

The diagram below depicts the areas of learning and development in Early Years and represents links between the way in which your child learns and what they learn.

How can parents and carers support children at home?

Below are some suggestions of ways in which you can support your child at home:

You can also help your child at home by promoting their self-care skills and developing independence in day-to-day activities.

How can I find out more about the Early Years Curriculum?

Click here to access: Development Matters, which provides a comprehensive outline of the EYFS curriculum

Year 1 to Year 6

In years 1 to 6 we follow the national curriculum. Our curriculum includes: English, Maths, computing, science, and design and technology, music, art, RE (religious education), history, geography, PHSME (personal, social, health and moral education) and PE (physical education) including dance. We also teach a modern foreign language, Spanish.

These subjects are combined into six key areas of learning, as shown below.

Spiritual understanding

At Brindishe Schools we teach RE (religious education) or as we prefer to call it ‘spiritual understanding’. Learning in RE is based on the locally agreed syllabus.

This ensures that children learn about the six major religions of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism and Hinduism.

We take care not to indoctrinate children in any way and views on all religious matters are expressed in a balanced way. Our emphasis is on giving children a framework of moral understanding as  well as knowledge of faiths, beliefs and practices to enable them to become caring members of society and form their own religious views.

Spiritual understanding is sometimes taught as a separate subject and sometimes as part of a theme. Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from these lessons and from daily acts of collective worship. Please discuss the matter with the headteacher if you wish to withdraw your child.

Pupil voice

Pupils are encouraged to take an active part in their learning and to make decisions about their learning and their school. During their time at Brindishe Schools they will have many opportunities to express their views and contribute to school development plans and schemes – for example through their childrens’ teams and through pupil surveys and questionnaires.

Physical well-being, health and lifestyles

This area includes health education, promoting good behaviour and developing children’s awareness of themselves and others in the community. Learning is often incidental but always essential. It involves children learning to keep themselves fit and healthy and develop a set of values and beliefs, including respect for themselves, for others and for the environment.

We include drug and substance abuse education, aimed at encouraging children to recognise the dangers of drugs and alcohol and how to assert themselves against negative influences and pressures. We teach children how to recognise and avoid addictive or harmful substances and practices and how to keep themselves fit, safe and healthy.

In Brindishe Schools the children use technology to support their learning, including to access the internet. We teach our children how to keep themselves safe when using the internet and mobile phones.

We will also develop children’s knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities and how to make a positive contribution to their community. They will learn about democracy and how local and national government works.

We take time to develop children’s ability to listen to others, to express their views, and to discuss and debate current ideas and issues.

Health Education, Relationships Education and Relationships and Sex Education

As of 2020, Health Education, Relationships Education and Relationships and Sex Education (all of which fall under PSHE) became compulsory in maintained schools, meaning that all children must cover the objectives set out in the National Curriculum: parents and carers are no longer able to withdraw their child from these lessons.

At Brindishe Schools, we were delighted that PSHE has now become compulsory, as we believe that the skills and information children learn in these lessons help them to become more respectful, independent and diligent members of society. Our PSHE Curriculum is very comprehensive, current and inclusive, and we have always aimed to give the children the information that they need to know, at the appropriate time.

Brindishe Schools’ PSHE Curriculum is divided into the following categories:

• Families and people who care for me
• Caring Relationships
• Respecting ourselves and others
• Online relationships and internet safety and harms
• Being safe
• Physical and mental wellbeing
• Growing and changing (Years 1 and 2)
• Our changing bodies and intimate relationships (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6)

If you would like to discuss any aspect of the PSHE Curriculum with the class teacher, or a member of the senior leadership team, please email the school office and the appropriate member of staff will contact you as soon as possible.