The Foundation Stage (FS) Curriculum at Glen Hills!

Welcome to our FS curriculum! This introduction will outline how we deliver the FS curriculum and the expectations about our links with home.

Overview of the FS set-up

We have Seven Areas of Learning and these are split into three ‘Prime Areas’ and four ‘Specific Areas’ of learning.

Prime areas- these are how skills for learning are developed….

• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Specific areas- these are how the three prime areas for learning are developed….

• Literacy
• Maths
• Understanding of the World
• Expressive arts and design

We teach using a variety of themes which will change every three weeks. We communicate these to parents in advance so they can discuss these topics and do a little work in advance.

Phonics is a key area which we focus on in the FS and ‘Phonicsplay’  is one of the phonics schemes we use (http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/ for more information), in addition 'Letters and Sounds' is used, Ruth Miskin phonics and many of our own resources.

The main topics we cover…

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Class and playground rules
• Self care
• Feelings
• Say no to bullying Stranger danger
• Transition to new year group
• Route To Resilience

P.E.

• Ring games
• Movement to music
• Using small equipment with control
• Climbing skills
• Ball skills (catching, throwing, kicking)
• Balancing skills
• Team games

History

• Own family history
• Traditional Tales
• Comparing old and new objects
• History of the school

Geography

• People who help us
• Road safety
• Water safety
• Our school environment
• Local Area – Glen Parva, leicester
• London
• Mexico

Science

• Textures and materials
• Food tasting
• The farm
• Healthy eating
• Changes that happen - cooking
• The five senses
• Caring for living things and the environment
• Mini-beasts
• Growth – plants
• Signs of Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer
• Floating and sinking

R.E.

• Family celebrations and food tasting
• Harvest
• Diwali
• Hindu and Christian Wedding
• Nativity story
• Chinese New Year
• Easter
• Buddhism

ICT

• Using the ‘SMART board’
• Keyboard skills
• Ipad skills
• Digital camera skills
• Programmable robots
• ‘Tux Paint’ skills
• ‘Primary Word’ skills
• Remote control cars
• Technology at home and school

Art

• Observational drawing
• Observational painting
• Printing
• Art work on different celebration cards
• Different materials

Design and Technology

• Building for a purpose using construction
• Making different types of puppets
• Clay work
• Junk modelling for a purpose

Music

• How to play and sort different instruments
• Rhythm activities
• Simple songs
• Creating sound stories
• Making own instruments
• Sewing activities

Our expectations of parental / school links…

We fully appreciate the vitality of building home/school links at Glen Hills. Homework and tasks will be given out at regular opportunities for your child in the FS. Please go to our Learning Environment and onto the 4+ page for many super links to sites which will assist both you and your child.

Reading with your child! Probably the most vital aspect of ensuring children get a love of books! Ideally, a little bit of reading together should be done every day.

Phonics – keep going through those sounds – in this section of the website, you will find phonics information for parents.

Working on numbers to 10. Counting on/back in ones and twos, playing ‘shops’, shape hunting around the house- the possibilities are endless!

4+ Knowledge Organisers