Early Years Foundation Stage
All learning is play-based and teachers observe this play carefully to enhance the learning whenever we spot a ‘teachable’ moment. From an untrained eye, it would appear that children spend all day playing! Yes, they do! Play is the fundamental process for children to learn.
We take a child's natural curiosity to explore, couple this with a teacher's solid understanding of early child development, add the right amount of challenge and thought provoking questions and level of play and learning is deepened.
An example would be a child choosing to push a car down a slope. The teacher observing this may provide a range of ramps, of different surfaces and simply pose the question, ‘I wonder what will happen if you use these?’
Our staff constantly reflect and review the teaching curriculum and environment, ensuring that it is purposeful, inviting and provides a balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning.
Our stimulating environment, including a multisensory outdoor garden and green Forest School area, enables the children to spend a large part of their day in the fresh air. The children are active, autonomous and free to follow their own interests using both the indoor classroom and outside learning area.
Each class has a dedicated day in the Forest School within our school grounds. From writing names using sticks and rocks, to planning and building a bug house whilst being taught to use real life tools, these sessions are fast becoming the highlight of the week. No session is complete without stories and hot chocolate amongst the trees.
There is simply no better place to learn!
The EYFS curriculum is a broad and exciting framework that comprises seven main Areas of Learning. These are:
• Personal, social and emotional development (PSED)
• Communication and Language (CL)
• Physical development (PD)
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world (UTW)
• Expressive arts and design (EAD)
EYFS Subjects
Art and Design
In Nursery and Reception children begin to use a variety of tools to create drawings that tell a story from retelling or from their imagination. They investigate different lines and textures. These skills fall under the learning area ‘Expressive arts and design’ in the EYFS curriculum.
English
We understand and celebrate the importance of language as both a tool for communication and the first building block for the many successes that the children will achieve during their time in school. Children will be involved with an immersive environment for learning and we pride ourselves on building that nourishing context for them as they grow as English speakers, readers and writers.
We set incredibly high standards for our young linguists at the British College of Gavà and work, fairly strictly, toward having all children access the UK National Curriculum for their age group as quickly as possible. We assess the children against the UK learning goals for Reading and Writing, meaning that children can easily transition to and from British Curriculum Schools in the UK with ease. We have additional EAL support for learners who are beginning their English journey and we work tirelessly to ensure the best levels of Communication, Understanding, Reading and Writing while encouraging the skills of creativity and instilling a self reflective work ethic in the children.
Geography
Pupils develop knowledge about the world. They learn to understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their local awareness.
Music
Children develop a love and appreciation for music through singing, playing instruments, and moving to music. Exposing music to children at an early age helps in many areas of development including literacy, numeracy, social-emotional, motor, language, listening, and hand-eye coordination.
Physical education
Physical activity is vital for the all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Using sport and dance activities to explore and develop the child’s agility, balance, coordination, strength and positional awareness will allow them to progress through early years and into primary school with continually improving fine and gross motor skills.
Science
Students discover more about the world around them through focused projects that take place both inside the classroom and outside in the Forest School.
The EYFS curriculum covers science through the learning area ´Knowledge and understanding of the world´. Children learn and explore through playing with different materials such as sand and water and explore the idea of floating and sinking and through cooking they see that materials can change.
Spanish as a foreign language
Learning is through games, experimentation, music and with the help of dynamic activities that are designed taking into account their interests and abilities so that their learning is fun and motivating.
At this stage, the most important thing is that they acquire Spanish vocabulary so that they are able to understand what they hear and be able to communicate with other people.
Information and Communication Technology
Children focus on simple skills such as using games and programs aimed at young learners and interactive games they can play as a group and independently.