Explorers EYFS Hub
Explorers EYFS Hub
Explorers are starting out on our learning journeys and beginning to explore the world around us.
Our Explorers Hub has two parts. We have provision for those at the start of their school career, within the EYFS. Our Early Years Hub classes use a play based approach and following the Early Years ethos and curriculum.
Toni Sharpe is the Explorers Hub lead with oversight of the Early Years Hub.
Our Early Years classes form part of the Explorer hub and support pupils for those at the start of their school journey. Our Early Years Hub classes use a play-based approach to learning following the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage years – a curriculum for children aged 0-5. Pupils in reception will begin their journey in the Explorers Hub and are based either within our Early Years Hub classes or are supported within a class that caters specifically for their complex needs. In Early years, pupils have access to a broad curriculum which includes the seven areas of learning and development:
Prime:
- Personal Social and Emotional (SEMH)
- Physical Development (Sensory and Physical)
- Communication and Language (Communication and Interaction)
Specific:
- Literacy (Reading and Writing including phonics)
- Mathematics
- Understanding of World (The World)
- Expressive Art and Design (Creativity)
These areas of learning are underpinned by our 4 areas of need which are Cognition and learning, Communication and Interaction, Sensory and physical and Social, Emotional and Mental health.
Pupils at the earliest stages of development and their educational journey will be developing their aspects of engagement (exploration, realization, anticipation, initiation and persistence) within their cognition and learning provision. Some pupils will start to access some subject-specific learning whilst still developing these aspects, facilitated in the early years within an independent learning approach. (I.e., a child may be beginning to explore purposeful reading, mark making and have encounters with numbers and the world around them through a way which is still developing their aspects of engagement). This journey is important and allows pupils at this stage of learning to begin to develop these subject specific skills and helps the adults supporting them know how to cater the curriculum to their development point. Children who are solely using the aspects of engagement within cognition and learning may be using a targeted approach to their learning instead of a subject specific approach.
The Characteristics of Effective Learning are embedded across our carefully planned provision throughout a range of free flow activities where children are able to follow their own interests as well as adult led learning tasks. The characteristics of effective learning areas are:
- Play and exploring (engagement) – finding out and exploring, using what they know in their play, being willing to have a go.
- Active learning (motivation) – being involved and concentrating, keeping on trying, enjoying achieving what they set out to do.
- Creative and critical thinking – having their own ideas, using what they know, choosing ways to do things and finding new ways.
The characteristics of effective learning are developed throughout our early years provision. Pupils actively develop their engagement, playing and exploring our carefully planned play-based provision. Adults support pupils to be motivated to engage and learn through using personalised strategies aswell as exciting and engaging invitations to play. Pupils are supporting to develop their creative and critical thinking through the planned curriculum, adults work alongside pupils in their play using strategies to extend and develop pupils learning. Progress within the characteristics of effective learning is celebrated as part of our EYFS Explorer hub reward system where children’s progress is celebrated through our celebration assemblies, certificates, and feedback using reward stickers in their learning and achievements.
The EYFS curriculum and provision allow children to follow a personalised approach to learning to develop independence, confidence, curiosity and social and emotional development which will contribute to a smoother transition to Key stage 1.
Our planned curriculum supports pupils to be able to explore the world around them. We used themed topics from which to hang learning and provision. Children’s engagement in learning is actively promoted and personalised through considering children’s individual interests/ likes and dislikes in exploring familiar and unfamiliar stimuli. Our curriculum meets the expectations of the educational programmes for pupils within the 7 areas of learning and ensures the planned coverage of learning takes of account of ensuring there are sufficient opportunities to revisit, consolidate and build upon emerging skills as children progress through their year.
The broad taught curriculum and the personalization of learning through individualized strategies and pupil’s targets come together to form the child’s educational journey through the early years (and across Palatine school). We take account of how pupils engage in learning and use best practice of child development and theory to inform how we plan for our learning provision within our medium-term plans. This includes considering opportunities for child led learning (through our independent learning and continuous provision) and adult led learning which is differentiated by engagement and outcome.
Through our independent learning provision, teachers plan for opportunities for children to access provision that develops schemas of learning, their aspects of engagement, their sensory and physical development and promotes their curiosity, awe and wonder.
Children’s communication and ownership of their learning is promoted. This is enabled through children using total communication approaches to request and indicate preferences, through direct questioning, and through assessing the engagement in activities and using these as a starting point for learning provision and stimulus provided.
We support parents and/or carers to be a part of the pupils learning through regular sharing of children’s learning journals, using the parents as experts of their children to help us plan learning provision that is motivating for children as well as regular liaison and advocacy for their children about their likes/ dislikes and interests as well as their child’s bio behaviours which supports practitioners to understand pupil’s readiness to learn
