The Curriculum

"This is an outstanding school." (Ofsted)


The Curriculum


Core Curriculum Information Spring Term 2

We are continuing to review and update our core curriculum offer for our children. Each half term we will share with you the themes that we will be focussing on as part of our teaching. These are based on areas of learning and topics that we feel will support the development of your children’s knowledge. Alongside these themes, staff are tuned into your children’s interests and will tailor learning and activities to them to maximise opportunities.
We hope that by sharing this information with you, you will be able to know more about what they are doing in school. More detail can be found on Tapestry.
Some ways that you might use this information are:

  • Reading or talking about some traditional stories at home- focus from last half term
  • Noticing when something is bigger/ smaller/ taller/ shorter
  • Looking for the focus shape (square and rectangle this half term) at home and when you’re out and about
  • Practising the nursery rhymes
  • Counting out four crisps objects, looking for number four on the TV remote and in your home etc.
  • Looking for opportunities to talk to your children when someone is caring or shows patience
  • Encouraging your children to use the words in the vocabulary section
  • Looking for signs of spring. For example daffodils, crocus flowers, lambs etc

We know that many of your children can count and recognise numbers beyond four. Research shows that helping children to have a deeper knowledge of number is vital for future learning so there is no rush to move on.

TERM INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT (How will this be measured?)
  General themes
Big question
High quality texts British values/ Nurture principal Parental Involvement opportunities WOW moments  

Spring 2

I wonder what is happening now that it is spring.
Plants and flowers
New life
Easter
Growing up - changes in me (RSHE)<
Jobs
Health Visitor
Midwife
Parent bringing a baby
2-3yr olds:
The Hungry Caterpillar
Jasper’s Beanstalk – UW, patience
Chicken Licken
We’re Going on an egg hunt – repetition, links to maths
F1:
Jack and the Beanstalk – UW, repetition
The Hungry Caterpillar
Handa’s Hen
Non-fiction text about plants and life cycles
Seasons
Trust
Care
Patience
Forest Families- planting
Easter Bonnet Parade
Egg Hunt
Spring number challenge
Parents to send in baby photos- compare
School readiness- dummy tree and toilet training
St Patricks Day
Chicks
Caterpillars
Planting a sunflower- charity
Health visitor visit- bath and weigh babies
Harpist
Children can identify signs of spring.
Children can identify changes in themselves.
Children know that plants need to be cared for.
Key vocabulary
Level 1
Anchor words
flower, water, sun
Goldilocks words
big, small, bigger, smaller
Step on words
Growing, live/living, seeds, bulbs
Number and shape focus
4
Square and rectangle
Measurement
Positional language
Nursery rhymes
I’m a Little Teapot
The Grand Old Duke of York
Sleeping bunnies
Alliteration Focus
Curly Caterpillar
Level 2 Tall, short, tallest/ shortest, measure, compare Plant, soil, sunlight, watering, petal, bulb Seed, roots, shoots, bud, halfway, blossom, life cycle

Core Curriculum Information Spring Term 1

We have been working on developing our core curriculum offer for our children. Each half term we will share with you the themes that we will be focussing on as part of our teaching. These are based on areas of learning and topics that we feel will support the development of your children’s knowledge. Alongside these themes, staff are tuned into your children’s interests and will tailor learning and activities to them to maximise opportunities.

We hope that by sharing this information with you, you will be able to know more about what they are doing in school. More detail can be found on Tapestry.

Some ways that you might use this information are:

  • Reading or talking about traditional stories and books with similar characters at home
  • Practising the nursery rhymes, watching the staff singing them on tapestry. Using the home learning tab on our website
  • Counting out three from a packet, looking for number three on the TV remote and in your home, on doors etc. Talking about who is has the biggest apple etc
  • Looking for opportunities to talk to your children when someone is brave and helping them to understand by modelling when something is fair
  • Modelling the key vocabulary and encouraging your children to use the words in the step on section when they’re ready

We know that many of your children can count and recognise numbers beyond three. Research shows that helping children to have a deeper knowledge of number is vital for future learning so there is no rush to move on.

Spring 1

I wonder what we can learn from traditional stories…

Story mapping and Talk For Writing

What might I want to be?

Author
Builder/ tradesperson

 

Phase 1
The Gingerbread Man
Three Little Pigs

Phase 2
Little Red Hen
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Three Billy Goats Gruff

Non- fiction
Winter (KUW)
Chinese New Year
Texts linked to individual interests
Season’s book
Cookery books

Friendship
Courage / bravery
Resilience
Respect
Tolerance (fair / not fair)

Stay and Play
Ice art and nature challenges (over half term)

Family Forest session

Story language used in play with small world and role play

Children can retell a familiar story

Children can recognise changes and talk about them

Key vocabulary
Level 1

Anchor words
Book
cold

Goldilocks words story
Brave
Fair/ not fair
Freeze/ frozen

Step on words
beginning, middle, end
melt
season
winter

Number and shape focus
3
triangle
Language around size and capacity

Nursery rhymes
Jack and Jill
Three Blind Mice

Level 2

friends
story
Brave
Fair/ not fair Freeze/ frozen

beginning
middle
end
character
melt
season
winter

Cover, title, author
Illustrator, respect
Hero, villain
defrost

Three Little Men in a Flying saucer

Core Curriculum Information Autumn 2

We have been working on developing our core curriculum offer for our children. Each half term we will share with you the themes that we will be focussing on as part of our teaching. These are based on areas of learning and topics that we feel will support the development of your children’s knowledge. Alongside these themes, staff are tuned into your children’s interests and will tailor learning and activities to them to maximise opportunities.

We hope that by sharing this information with you, you will be able to know more about what they are doing in school. More detail can be found on Tapestry.

Some ways that you might use this information are:

  • Reading or talking about the books or similar stories at home
  • Looking for patterns at home and when you’re out and about
  • Practising the nursery rhymes
  • Counting out two crisps from the packet, looking for number two on the TV remote and in your home etc.
  • Looking for opportunities to talk to your children when someone shows love or follows the rules
  • Modelling the key vocabulary and encouraging your children to use the words in the step on section when they’re ready

We know that many of your children can count and recognise numbers beyond two. Research shows that helping children to have a deeper knowledge of number is vital for future learning so there is no rush to move on.

TERM INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT (How will this be measured?)  

 

General themes
Big question

High quality texts 

Who do I want to be?
British values/ Nurture principal

Parental Involvement opportunities

WOW moments

 

Autumn
2

I wonder what we are celebrating…
Bonfire Night
Autumn
Anti-bullying week
Diwali
Christmas
Light and dark/ day and night
Oral health

What might I want to be?
Dentist/ Dental Nurse ( link to Halloween sweets) All children to be given a toothbrush
Lollipop Person
PCSOs

2-3yr olds:
We’re going on a Bear Hunt. Rhythm and rhyme, UW,PD
The Gruffalo- Julia Donaldson

Teach the Nursery Rhymes below

F1/2

Room on the Broom-Rhyme, sharing ( mutual respect and tolerance)  Julia Donaldson
Whatever Next? Imagination ad famous author Jill Murphy- space, night time

Other books to read and share

Dear Santa - repetition
The Very Helpful Hedgehog – autumn, mutual respect
Bear stays up for Christmas – night/day, rhyming, mutual respect

Art work
Van Gogh Starry Night

Love
Rules of law- understanding rules matter
Mutual respect and tolerance- individual liberty

Christmas singing
Road safety postcards home
Autumn treasure hunt- half term
Children in Need
Ganneys Bonfire Night
Christmas Fair

Visit to the post box to post letters to Santa

Children understand / can talk about celebrations in their home and in the wider community/ world.
They can notice seasonal changes
They show an awareness of kindness to others (warm fuzzies)

Key vocabulary
Phase 1

Anchor words
Father Christmas, leaf, tree

Goldilocks words
Light, dark, day, night,

Step on words
Autumn, twinkle

Number and shape focus
2
pattern

Nursery rhymes
Incy Wincy Spider
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Pop Goes The Weasel
Two little dickie birds
Alliteration
Wet Worms

Key vocabulary
Phase 2

Christmas, bonfire, Halloween

Pattern, bonfire, sparkle, celebration, season

Hibernate, tolerance, culture, respectful

AUTUMN 1 INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT (How will this be measured?)
  General themes
Big question
High quality texts Who do I want to be? British values / Nurture principal Parental Involvement opportunities WOW moments  
Autumn 1 I wonder what is special about me….

Me and my family
What am I good at?
Homes

What might I want to be?
Meeting our school family and understanding the roles that they do

Teachers
Teaching Assistants
Caretaker
Office Staff
Cleaners
Kitchen staff
2-3yr olds:
Owl Babies- links to children’s own experience of separation and illustrations

Eyes, Nose, Finger and Toes – Links to phonics – rhyming & tuning into sounds. UW – senses

Teach the Nursery Rhymes below

F1

Supertato

Silly Doggy

The Tiger who came to tea- Different families, familiar routines

Other books to read and share

The Big Book of Families- difference

Peace at Last- families famous author

Five Minutes Peace- families famous author

And Tango makes three- diversity and difference

What makes me a me? In every house on every street. – Rhyming, PSED links. C&L Can promote a variety of discussions.
Kindness
Respect
Acceptance Celebration 
Harvest festival
New parent meeting- curriculum

All bring/ send photos of family floor KW display and books for role play area.
We are so proud of you certificate. All children will get one over the half term for a personal celebration. Seeing examples of children being respectful, kind and accepting within their independent play.

Children can identify what is special about them and others.
Children are settled and can build a relationship with their key worker.

Key worker will have an understanding of their children’s families Children will know the wider school family and learn about the jobs that they do
Key vocabulary Phase 1 Anchor words
Mummy, Daddy, Nanny, Grandad
Goldilocks words
Sister, Brother, Aunty, Uncle, dog, cat, house
Step on words
Cousin, pet, family,
Number and shape focus
1 circle
Nursery rhymes
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Tommy Thumb Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Key vocabulary Phase 2 Sister, Brother, Aunty, Uncle, dog, cat, house Cousin, pet, family Kind, celebrate, difference

This will be represented in the environment through:

  • Key vocabulary displayed in all classes, appropriate to the stage of development for the children. Categorised into anchor, Goldilocks and step on
  • Nursery rhymes displayed in the reading area with visuals, puppets/ masks. Allocate a display at child height for this. Split the board into 6 and add to it across the term. Change it each term
  • Our Reading Journey display to add key texts onto the road map over the year
  • Book areas reflect the topic and interests for the half term. E.G books around families for this half term

Planning and Assessment Documents

At Ganneys Meadow, we welcome all children and their families and pride ourselves on working together to enthuse and support them to reach their goals. Our ‘whole child’ focus targets are based on the Characteristics of Effective Learning and will provide children with the skills that they need to access all future learning and prepare them for life beyond our school.

Read More

Core Curriculum Information Summer 2

We have been working on developing our core curriculum offer for our children. Each half term we will share with you the themes that we will be focussing on as part of our teaching. These are based on areas of learning and topics that we feel will support the development of your children’s knowledge. Alongside these themes, staff are tuned into your children’s interests and will tailor learning and activities to them to maximise opportunities.

We hope that by sharing this information with you, you will be able to know more about what they are doing in school. More detail can be found on Tapestry.

Some ways that you might use this information are:

  • Reading or talking about animals and pets. These may include information book ( non- fiction) and or fiction books- stories about animals or pets
  • Looking for the 2D shapes at home and when you’re out and about. Please look for circle, triangles and squares.
  • Practising the nursery rhymes
  • Counting out different amounts of objects from a group. Please focus on numbers up to five first  
  • Looking for opportunities to talk to your children about being kind. Noticing this and commenting. Celebrating teamwork and talking to them about being kind to animals
  • Encouraging your children to use the words in the step on section when they’re ready
Summer 2

I wonder how many animals I know and when and where they live/d…
Dinosaurs
Farm animals
Insects
Zoo animals
Pets

Brown Bear Brown Bear
Dear Zoo
Down in the Jungle
I want a pet
Farmer Duck
15 things not to do with a puppy

Differences-BV
Care for all
Teamwork
Kindness

Farm trip
Family picnic

Sports day
Zoo lab

Children show care for living things
Children can begin to categorise animals.

Key vocabulary

Anchor words
animal

Goldilocks words Farm, zoo, insect, familiar animal names

Step on words
creature, minibeast, baby animal names, extinct

Number and shape focus
Focus to be determined based on assessments

Nursery rhymes
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
5 little Ducks
5 Cheeky Monkeys

Planning and Assessment Documents

At Ganneys Meadow, we welcome all children and their families and pride ourselves on working together to enthuse and support them to reach their goals. Our ‘whole child’ focus targets are based on the Characteristics of Effective Learning and will provide children with the skills that they need to access all future learning and prepare them for life beyond our school.

Read More

Core Curriculum Information Summer 1

We have been working on developing our core curriculum offer for our children. Each half term we will share with you the themes that we will be focussing on as part of our teaching. These are based on areas of learning and topics that we feel will support the development of your children’s knowledge. Alongside these themes, staff are tuned into your children’s interests and will tailor learning and activities to them to maximise opportunities.
We hope that by sharing this information with you, you will be able to know more about what they are doing in school. More detail can be found on Tapestry.
Some ways that you might use this information are:

  • Reading or talking about how to stay safe and look after themselves. This includes crossing the road, using the internet, brushing their teeth and eating healthy foods.
  • Looking for the 2D shapes at home and when you’re out and about. Please look for circle, triangles and squares.
  • Practising the nursery rhymes
  • Counting out five crisps from the packet, looking for number five on the TV remote and in your home etc.
  • Looking for opportunities to talk to your children when someone is thoughtful and being calm
  • Encouraging your children to use the words in the step on section when they’re ready

We know that many of your children can count and recognise numbers beyond five. Research shows that helping children to have a deeper knowledge of number is vital for future learning so there is no rush to move on.

TERM INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT (How will this be measured?)
Ladybird

General themes
Big question

High quality texts

British values/ Nurture principal Parental Involvement opportunities WOW moments  

Summer

1

I wonder how I can stay safe and look after the environment Road safety Internet safety Oral Health Healthy eating Climate and environment Sun safety

Chicken Clicking Tony Ross
Oliver’s vegetables

Fruit Salad

The Tree - an environmental fable

My Green Day

Hope

Thoughtfulness
Self-regulation/control

Parents invited in to share  a healthy lunch

Shopping trip/ fruit shop

Dentist visit

Food tasting

Children can make or/and identify healthy options

Children can show that they can keep themselves safe.

Children are developing self-help skills.

Key vocabulary

Anchor words

Mouth, hot, cold, road

Goldilocks words

Teeth, toothbrush, toothpaste, healthy, lollypop person

Step on words
Gums, dentist, environment, climate

Number and shape focus

5

Recap 2D shapes

Nursery rhymes

Here we go ‘round the Mulberry Bush

Humpty Dumpty

Core Curriculum Information Autumn 1

We have been working on developing our core curriculum offer for our children. Each half term we will share with you the themes that we will be focussing on as part of our teaching. These are based on areas of learning and topics that we feel will support the development of your children’s knowledge. Alongside these themes, staff are tuned into your children’s interests and will tailor learning and activities to them to maximise opportunities.

We hope that by sharing this information with you, you will be able to know more about what they are doing in school. More detail can be found on Tapestry.

Some ways that you might use this information are:

  • Reading or talking about some traditional stories at home
  • Looking for the focus shape (circle this half term) at home and when you’re out and about
  • Practising the nursery rhymes
  • Counting out one crisp from the packet, looking for number one on the TV remote and in your home etc.
  • Looking for opportunities to talk to your children when someone is kind, respectful etc
  • Encouraging your children to use the words in the step on section when they’re ready
TERM INTENT IMPLEMENTATION IMPACT (How will this be measured?)
Ladybird

General themes
Big question

High quality texts

British values/ Nurture principal Parental Involvement opportunities WOW moments  

Autumn

1

I wonder what is special about me….
Me and my family
What am I good at?
Homes

The Big Book of Families
And Tango makes three
Elmer
The Tiger who came to tea
Where’s Spot

Kindness
Respect

Acceptance

Harvest festival
New parent meeting- curriculum

All bring photos of family floor KW display
We are so proud of you certificate. All children will get one over the half term for a personal celebration.

Seeing examples of children being respectful, kind and accepting within their independent play
Children are settled and can build a relationship with their key worker

Key worker will have an understanding of their children’s families and their circumstances
Key vocabulary

Anchor words

Mummy, Daddy, Nanny

Goldilocks words

Sister, brother, aunty, uncle, dog, cat, house

Step on words

Cousin, pet, family,

Number and shape focus 1

circle

Nursery rhymes
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Tommy Thumb

Head Shoulders Knees and Toes

Children from birth to five have their own Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. This curriculum offers children the opportunity to learn through a wide range of fun, practical experiences were children can observe, explore, discover and communicate in both the indoor and outdoor learning environments.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) has many aspects to it. Below are the four key principles that underpin our EYFS approach at Ganneys Meadow School and Family Centre.

A Unique Child

Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive Relationships

Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.

Enabling Environments

The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development and learning.

Learning and Development

Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.

The seven areas of learning and development are:

Prime Areas

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
  • Communication and Language(CL)
  • Physical Development (PD)

Specific Areas

  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Understanding the world
  • Expressive arts and design

The word curriculum refers to the combination of the experiences and resources we offer, along with the support that we provide for every child to enable them to progress. The seven areas of learning and development, which describe what children need to know, experience and be able to do, are the EYFS curriculum. We implement this with a mixture of child and adult led explorations and adventures, through fostering the Characteristics of Effective Learning; knowledge of each individual child; teaching and modelling; discussion and conversation; providing resources and experiences, etc.

Ofsted describe the curriculum as ‘aspirational. It is meticulously designed to meet the needs and interest of children, including those with SEND.’ (Ofsted, 2024) whilst the EYFS describes it as practitioners deciding ‘’what they want children in their setting to learn, and the most effective ways to teach it.’’ It says practitioners must ‘’consider the individual needs, interests, and development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development. (DfE, 2021).

Our curriculum has a strong focus on the importance of ensuring that children have a deep, secure understanding of each concept or skill before moving on, rather than rushing them on to next steps.

Intent

  • The Ganneys approach to learning and development is mainly child led. Within our key worker groups, adults notice what children are interested in, what they are doing well and identify and discuss their next steps.
  • Teachers and key workers then work together to discuss which areas of learning, skills and opportunities can be offered. They will also use this an opportunity to identify any key vocabulary and high quality texts which may link, to provide opportunities to extend learning.
  • Alongside this, adults plan learning experiences linked to celebrations or themes. These are identified as opportunities to extend children’s knowledge of the wider world and increase their cultural capital.

Implementation

  • Each week, staff review the effectiveness of the continuous provision. This includes considering which areas of the indoor and outdoor environment are being used more/less and which/how resources within them are being used.
  • The team will also consider any enhancements which can be added to further develop skills, knowledge and understanding.

Impact

  • Essentially this is what we are doing to make a difference
  • We gather information about our children in the following ways:
    • Playing and talking with them
    • Carrying out long observations
    • Communicating with parents
    • Using our 6 month milestone checkpoints
  • The observations checkpoints contain information from a range of EYs resources and documents. They help us to check that children are progressing. This information, alongside our expert knowledge of the children and conversations with parents, help us to identify any children requiring additional support.


 

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