Autumn 2023

 

Our theme for this half term is ‘Over the Rainbow’. Our learning is guided by the children’s interests and the questions they ask us, as well as by the key skills and knowledge that get passed on through our inputs and provision.

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Topic

​

Topic in EYFS covers a range of subjects – mark making, history, geography, music, science, and art.  Our topics are half termly and allow for lots of investigation. During ‘Over the Rainbow’, we will be exploring emotions, weather, colours, and the harvest festival. We enjoy lots of books during our time at school, but our key texts are Find Out About Feelings by Pat-a-Cake, Elmer's Weather by David McKee, and Elmer's Colours by David McKee.

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Maths

​

In Little Doves, we explore Maths through play based activities and within our everyday routines. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Combining objects e.g., stacking cups or blocks, putting objects inside others and taking them out again.

• Participating in finger rhymes with numbers.

• Showing an awareness of counting behaviour e.g., pointing and saying some numbers.

• Counting in everyday contexts with some skipping of numbers.

• Completing inset puzzles.

• Comparing sizes using gestures and language.

• Noticing patterns and arranging things in patterns.

​

Literacy

​

In Little Doves, we have access to lots of opportunities to develop our literacy skills. We have regular opportunities to mark make, develop pre-writing skills and to widen our vocabulary through our continuous provision, and during reading escape time when we share our love of high quality stories. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Enjoying, and joining in with, songs, rhymes and tunes.

• Copying finger movement and gestures.

• When sharing a book with an adult: enjoying the experience, responding to the pictures, repeating familiar words or phrases, and asking questions about what is being read.

• Noticing some print in the environment e.g. the first letter of their name.

• Enjoying using tools to draw, adding some marks for meaning.

• Mark making to represent their name.

 

Physical Development

​

We have access to lots of opportunities to physical development. We have daily access to our garden with a range of physical development resources as well an intervention programme called 'Healthy Movers' which is accessible to all children who choose to participate. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Clapping, stamping, and moving to music.

• Fitting myself into spaces e.g., dens, tunnels, and boxes.

• Beginning to kick, throw and catch.

• Enjoying different methods of movement when travelling.

• Using a scooter or tricycle.

• Managing their own needs such as pulling up my zip, pouring a drink and using a fork.

• When using paper, tearing, scrunching, mark making and printing.

 

Communication and Language

​

Whilst we do not complete specific lessons based on this, communication and language filters into all aspects of life in Little Doves. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Turning towards familiar sounds.

• Holding eye contact and copying a funny face.

• Taking turns in conversations.

• Joining in with music and singing activities.

• Listening and responding to a simple instruction.

• Using words, sounds and gestures to communicate and get attention.

• Developing an understanding of key vocabulary for everyday routine.

• Using sentences of a longer length, and words containing more than one syllable.

• Listening to simple stories and understanding what is happening.

• Linking a description to an object e.g., blue car.

• Understanding simple questions - who, what, where.

 

Personal, Social and Emotional

​

Personal, social and emotional development is another strand of learning which filters into all aspects of life in Little Doves. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Establishing their sense of self, expressing preferences, decisions, self-assurance and own emotions.

• Beginning to talk about feelings in a more elaborate way.

• Independently playing with increased confidence.

• Showing an awareness of independent toileting.

• Responding to something of interest.

• Developing friendships, playing with increasing confidence with other children.

• Managing transitions e.g., from parent to carer.

• Noticing and asking questions about how people are different.

​

Understanding the World

​

Understanding the world is another aspect of life in Little Doves which spreads across most of what we do. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Exploring materials with different properties.

• Exploring natural materials, both inside and outside.

• Making connections between the features of their family and of other families.

• Noticing different people.

• Repeating actions that have an effect.

​

Expressive Art and Design

​

Expressive art and design is the final strand of learning that filters into all aspects of life in Little Doves. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Showing attention to sounds and music.

• Participating in action songs.

• Exploring a range of sound makers and instruments, playing them in different ways.

• Beginning to make marks with intention.

• Exploring the effects of paint using body parts and tools.

• Beginning to develop role play.

• Using imagination when exploring and playing with different materials.

• Making simple models.

​

Spring 2024

​

Our theme for this half term is ‘Wonderful World'. Our learning is guided by the children’s interests and the questions they ask us, as well as by the key skills and knowledge that get passed on through our inputs and provision.

​

Topic

 

Topic in EYFS covers a range of subjects – mark making, history, geography, music, science, and art.  Our topics are half termly and allow for lots of investigation. During ‘Wonderful World', we will be exploring the continents of the world through play. We enjoy lots of books during our time at school, but our key texts are Who? and Things That Go.

​

Maths

​

In Little Doves, we explore Maths through play based activities and within our everyday routines. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Combining objects e.g., stacking cups or blocks, putting objects inside others and taking them out again.

• Participating in finger rhymes with numbers.

• Showing an awareness of counting behaviour e.g., pointing and saying some numbers.

• Counting in everyday contexts with some skipping of numbers.

• Completing inset puzzles.

• Comparing sizes using gestures and language.

• Noticing patterns and arranging things in patterns.

​

Literacy

​

In Little Doves, we have access to lots of opportunities to develop our literacy skills. We have regular opportunities to mark make, develop pre-writing skills and to widen our vocabulary through our continuous provision and, during reading escape time, when we share our love of high-quality stories. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Enjoying, and joining in with, songs, rhymes and tunes.

• Copying finger movement and gestures.

• When sharing a book with an adult: showing enjoyment, responding to the pictures, repeating familiar words or phrases, and asking questions about what is being read.

• Noticing some print in the environment e.g. the first letter of their name.

• Enjoying using tools to draw, adding some marks for meaning.

• Mark making to represent their name.

 

Physical Development

​

We have access to lots of opportunities for physical development. We have daily access to our garden with a range of physical development resources as well an intervention programme called 'Healthy Movers' which is accessible to all children who choose to participate. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Clapping, stamping, and moving to the music.

• Fitting into spaces e.g., dens, tunnels, and boxes.

• Beginning to kick, throw and catch.

• Enjoying different methods of movement when travelling.

• Using a scooter or tricycle.

• Managing personal needs such as pulling up a zip, pouring a drink and using a fork.

• When using paper, to tear, scrunch, mark make and print.

 

Communication and Language

​

Whilst we do not complete specific lessons based on communication and language, this filters into all aspects of life in Little Doves. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Turning towards familiar sounds.

• Holding eye contact and copying a funny face.

• Taking turns in conversations.

• Joining in with music and singing activities.

• Listening and responding to a simple instruction.

• Using words, sounds and gestures to communicate and get attention.

• Developing an understanding of key vocabulary for everyday routines.

• Using sentences of a longer length, and words containing more than one syllable.

• Listening to simple stories and understanding what is happening.

• Linking a description to an object e.g. blue car.

• Understanding simple questions - who, what, where.

 

Personal, Social and Emotional

​

Personal, social and emotional development is another strand of learning which filters into all aspects of life in Little Doves. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Establishing their sense of self, expressing preferences, decisions, self-assurance and own emotions.

• Beginning to talk about feelings in a more elaborate way.

• Independently playing with increased confidence.

• Showing an awareness of independent toileting.

• Responding to something of interest.

• Developing friendships, playing with increasing confidence with other children.

• Managing transitions e.g. from parent to carer.

• Noticing and asking questions about how people are different.

​

Understanding the World

​

Understanding the World is another aspect of life in Little Doves which spreads across most of what we do. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Exploring materials with different properties.

• Exploring natural materials, both inside and outside.

• Making connections between the features of their own family and other families.

• Noticing different people.

• Repeating actions that have an effect.

​

Expressive Art and Design

​

Expressive art and design is the final strand of learning that filters into all aspects of life in Little Doves. During their time in Little Doves, children will be working towards developing an age appropriate level of:

​

• Showing attention to sounds and music.

• Participating in action songs.

• Exploring a range of sound makers and instruments, playing them in different ways.

• Beginning to make marks with intention.

• Exploring the effects of paint using body parts and tools.

• Beginning to develop role play.

• Using imagination when exploring and playing with different materials.

• Making simple models.

​