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Learning

Foundation

Primary

Secondary

IB

Polish Programme

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is comprised of two year groups: Foundation 1 (ages 3-4) and Foundation 2 (ages 4-5). At BISC we deliver the 7 areas of learning through a play-based curriculum using the 2017 EYFS framework. We provide a safe, caring and nurturing environment allowing children to settle quickly and become competent learners.

EYFS understand that every child is unique and they grow through positive experiences in an enabling environment. Every child develops and learns in different ways, and we cater to this.

The EYFS framework is used to focus on 7 key areas:

The Prime Areas are for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

• Physical Development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
• Communication and Language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others, to form positive relationships, to develop respect for others, to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings.  They also understand appropriate behaviour in groups and have confidence in their own abilities.
• We also support children in the Specific Areas, through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied.
• Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to flare up their interest.
• Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, spaces, and measure.
• Understanding the World involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
• Expressive Arts and Design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, design and technology.

Teaching

In Foundation at BISC, there is particular attention paid to the holistic development of each, individual child, equipping them with the strongest foundations on which to build future learning, in preparation for Key Stage 1.
Play underpins the learning and all aspects of children’s development in Foundation. Through play, the children develop language, practise new ideas and skills, take risks, show imagination and learn how to solve problems on their own and with others.
 Our qualified and experienced Early Years Teachers carefully plan experiences to inspire meaningful play and ignite children’s imaginations. This helps children discover and make sense of their world as they explore and experiment in secure and safe environments, both indoors and out. Field trips into the local community occur frequently.
We have differentiated learning in the classrooms to cater for the children’s individual needs and levels.

 (FS1) Foundation Stage 1

Children will learn throughout the day while playing carefully planned activities to help them reach the specified targets. Each half term we cover a topic that has plenty of hands-on activities to support all the areas of learning. Children will also have an introduction to the letter sounds however the main focus will be on their communication and language skills. It is important to build good fine/gross motor skills and independency.

(FS2) Foundation Stage 2

Children follow a more structured setup to prepare them for Key Stage 1. They follow the Jolly Phonics scheme to allow them to read and write confidently. This scheme is designed to help children learn letters through sounds by way of actions, stories and songs.  Heinemann Bug Club, The Oxford Reading Tree books among other supporting literature, gives provision to what they will be learning in the Literacy lessons. Maths and critical thinking skills are also a main focus. During lessons, activities are teacher lead, while other students work in groups alone to encourage independency.
With our small sized groups, we can easily focus on individual needs.  There is a class teacher and a teacher’s assistant in every class. The maximum number of children is 16.

Good learning happens through good behaviour

EYFS BISC follows the Golden Rules and other positive reinforcements to promoted good behaviour.
Please see our EYFS Behaviour policy.

Homework

Homework is encouraged to raise your children’s achievements. It can be baking a cake with your child, finger painting letters, writing with chalk on the sidewalk and/or reading daily. Please see our Homework Policy

Tracking individual learning & achievement

A child’s learning experiences are recorded in their Learning Journals.  These can be in the form of photographs, anecdotal notes and examples of their individual work.  There is a baseline assessment at the beginning of the year then two other official assessments throughout the year. Continuous assessments happen during their day-to-day activities. Their learning is tracked and shared with parents on a regular basis.

Parents as partners

A partnership with parents is very crucial, particularly in Early Years when children are transitioning from home or other learning environments.  Teachers are available for meetings most days before and after school. More formal parent/teacher conferences are held at the start of each school year and at the end of the second term.  Progress reports are written at the end of the first term and at the very end of the school year.

Schoology

You can keep up-to -date on your children’s learning through our communication network, Schoology. (https://bisc.schoology.com/login) It is a private network only accessed by BISC parents. Here you can communicate with the teacher, classmates and receive all notices. We share photos and some videos of activities during the day. 

Please contact us for any further queries.
We hope to meet you soon!

Leadership

Michael Sandall
Co ​Head of Primary

Development Matters

EYFS Framework

EYFS Behaviour Policy


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