INTENT is about our staff knowing what we want our children to learn.

IMPLEMENTATION is about staff knowing how we want to deliver that learning.

IMPACT defines what our children have achieved and measures how effective this has been.

These elements have always been the fundamentals of quality first teaching and learning here in our school.

For each of the seven areas of learning and development we considered three key questions;

• What is it like to be a child in our provision?

• What skills and knowledge we want our children to leave us with?

• How ready will children be for the next stage in their learning?

 

The seven Areas of Learning and Development

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Communication and Language

INTENT STATEMENT:

OVERVIEW

At Blackawton in our Foundation Stage we foster and capitalise on children’s instinctive need and desire to communicate by:

• Role modelling the qualities and characteristics of a good communicator

• Immersing children in a rich environment of words, sounds, rhythm, verbal and non-verbal expression

• Engaging children in conversation

• Providing genuine reasons, irresistible provocations and a real purpose to listen and talk

• Valuing the different ways and means that children use to communicate

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

Communication and Language is a fundamental core skill. It is the key to enabling children to achieve and provides the strong foundations for future learning. It is promoted through a language rich ethos and environment in which adults narrate, ask questions, model thinking, provide a running commentary, repeat and extend language and give children reasons and a desire to talk.

At the planning stage new and ambitious vocabulary linked to the theme is identified and displayed within our environment in the form of words and sentences acting as visual prompts for adults and children. Careful consideration is also given to how children develop listening, attention and understanding to improve speaking skills.

Within our school adults actively seek and plan for opportunities to provoke talk. It is also taught through direct teaching e.g. daily group times, snack times and story and rhyme time.

Investigation areas are used to display intriguing objects and pictures and children are encouraged to describe, discuss and ask questions about what they see. It is also used to pose questions and extend language through observing change, growth and new life.

Enhancements are regularly added to all areas of the provision as a stimulus to inspire interest and engage children in talk e.g. setting up a scenario in the Role Play area such as a burglary or party to encourage discussion and problem solving.

Adults have a sound knowledge and deep understanding of how children learn to talk. They move fluidly around the environment modelling the qualities of a good communicator and searching for and capitalising on opportunities to engage with children in conversation.

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Express opinions, feelings and ideas

• Ask questions

• Retell in sequence

• Use a range of vocabulary

• Make positive relationships

• Give reasons

• Speak in a full sentence

• Participate in discussion

• Take turns in conversation

• Describe and explain

 

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Personal, Social and Emotional Development

INTENT STATEMENT:

OVERVIEW

In Blackawton Foundation Stage we create a supportive and nurturing climate and ethos which provides children with a sense of safety, security, belonging and self-worth by:

• Establishing and developing mutually respectful relationships with and between adults and children

• Understanding children’s unique qualities and attributes so they feel valued and develop positive attitudes towards themselves and others

• Knowing and understanding children’s family contexts and dynamics

• Setting rules, establishing boundaries, following routines and explaining consequences

• Modelling and explaining behaviours and emotions and how to manage and resolve conflict

• Empowering children to be independent enabling them to make informed choices and decisions

• Using praise to build confidence

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development is highly valued and underpinned by British values.

Children’s emotional well-being thrives when they have positive and strong relationships with adults and other children. This starts with a clear and robust transition programme. Information is collected about each child through home visits, stay and play sessions, visiting other settings and discussions with parents, carers and key workers. This information is used to inform the design of the environment and helps to focus the learning in the first few weeks of term.

On entry quality time is spent establishing clear structures, routines and boundaries.

Our timetable is planned so that children get to know their new environment, make new friends and build trusting relationships with adults.

The environment is set up to promote independent learning encouraging children to make their own informed decisions and choices.

Praise and mutual respect are corner stones of our behaviour policy and are used to create a positive ethos where children feel equally valued, safe and develop high self-esteem.

Rules are explained and visually displayed so that children understand that actions can have consequences and begin to learn to manage their own behaviour.  These are underpinned by the Blackawton Way and reflected in the Articles of the Rights of the Child.

Circle Time is used for direct teaching of British Values and specific Personal, Social and Emotional knowledge e.g. keeping safe, understanding emotions and appropriate behaviours.

Adults understand how to create a nurturing climate and ethos by:

• Providing good role models of how a good citizen should behave

• Demonstrating how to be a good friend

• Showing respect and fairness and are consistent in their approach

• Listening carefully to children, responding to their needs, helping them understand their emotions and empathising and communicating with children and their families.

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Nursery I will know how to…

• Make positive relationships

• Dress and undress

• Persevere

• Manage risk and keep myself safe

• Compromise and negotiate to resolve conflict

• Manage my own personal hygiene

• Share and take turns

• Wait for my turn

• Focus my attention

• Follow rules and manage my own behaviour

• Express and talk about my emotions

• Follow instructions

 

 

Physical Development

INTENT STATEMENT:

OVERVIEW

At Blackawton Foundation Stage we nurture children’s strong need and desire to be physically active which builds the foundations for other areas of their development by:

• Building children’s strength, stamina, balance, co-ordination and dexterity

• Developing a range of large and small movements which they can control

• Improving and refining children’s control and manipulation of a variety of tools

• Instilling a sense of confidence in children’s own physical abilities enabling them to negotiate spaces

• Promoting independence by teaching them to make decisions and choices that will keep them healthy and safe

 

IMPLENTATION STATEMENT:

Adults have a sound knowledge and deep understanding of physical development and the key aspects of gross and fine motor skills. They know that fine motor development relies on children having well developed gross motor strength and recognise the strong links between physical development and the ability to control and manipulate writing tools. Within the environment adults actively encourage children to build their strength, stamina, balance, co-ordination and dexterity.

Physical Development is valued and promoted through:

• Weekly movement sessions

• Capitalising on transition times to promote gross motor skills e.g. stand in the line on one leg.

• Setting up a Finger Gym and a Fastening Station which offer weekly challenges that develop wrist and finger strength, finger isolation and pincer grip.

• Equipping our provision with tools and different vertical surfaces to promote core strength, wrist strength and crossing the midline.

• Situating a Creative Station in, the centre of the provision offering a wide variety of mark making tools and equipment e.g. hole punches, staples, treasury tags and paper clips to support the development of muscle strength and the control and manipulation of real tools.

• Providing authentic resources throughout our provision e.g. real kitchen equipment.

• Using the outdoor area daily for Physical Development where small apparatus is organised, displayed and available for children to use independently.

• Equipping the outdoor area with a base layer of resources to promote balance and upper body strength e.g. balance bikes, scooters, wheeled vehicles, wheelbarrows, buckets and weighty object

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Negotiate space and obstacles safely

• Throw, catch and kick a ball

• Balance using my core stability

• Use a tripod grip

• Draw with increasing accuracy

• Demonstrate upper body strength

• Co-ordinate both sides of my body

• Move in a variety of ways

• Control a variety of tools

• Demonstrate strength and stamina

 

 

Literacy: Reading

INTENT STATEMENT:

OVERVIEW

At Blackawton Foundation Stage we develop enthusiastic emerging readers who take delight in listening to stories, enjoy reading for pleasure and know how to use text to find out information by:

• Teaching the knowledge and skills of early reading

• Fostering a love of books by sharing and talking about texts

• Immersing children in sounds, words, rhythm, rhyme and song

• Modelling the pleasure and joy that books provide

• Demonstrating that text has meaning

• Showing the characteristics of a fluent reader

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

Reading and the enjoyment of books is highly valued and promoted through daily direct teaching in the form of Phonic sessions, Story and Rhyme Time and listening to children read. Opportunities for children to read within our school and across the curriculum are also planned for and capitalised on.

During the planning process careful consideration is given to the next steps in learning and how this links with phonics and what key texts will be used.

For each theme a key text is carefully identified and explored in detail to help children become familiar with its structure and content.

Supporting texts are also used to expand children’s knowledge and fire their imagination.

New and ambitious vocabulary we want children to read is identified and displayed in the environment in the form of words and sentences.

To help children make connections across their learning each area of the provision is also equipped with relevant fiction and non-fiction texts for children to reference knowledge and stimulate ideas.

A Reading Area is situated within each classroom.  It offers a selection of fiction and non-fiction material and resources connected to the theme, decodable texts linked to chosen phonics approaches and familiar rhymes and stories. The resources are carefully selected and organised on open shelves so that they are visually inviting to children and adults and allow for thoughtful choices.

Adults have a sound knowledge and deep understanding of reading development.

They:

Recognise the strong links between reading and phonics and how these life-long skills enable children to develop knowledge in other subjects.

Draw children’s attention to text.

Demonstrate that text has meaning, model the enjoyment of reading and support the application of phonic knowledge and skills.

Actively encourage children to become familiar with the stories and rhymes they have heard through role play, small world play and favourite books.

In the reception class the children learn to read using the Ruth Miskins Read, Write Inc programme.

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Follow print from left to right and top to bottom

• Talk about what I have read or the illustrations to a story or non-fiction text

• Predict what might happen in a story

• Read some decodable words

• Understand a story that has been read to me

• Retell stories I have heard

• Use vocabulary from books in my talk

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Literacy: Writing 

INTENT STATEMENT:

OVERVIEW

At Blackawton Foundation Stage we develop enthusiastic emerging writers who have an enduring and positive attitude to writing, who can form letters and letter shapes and who can draw from a rich store of language and imaginative ideas by:

• Valuing the different ways that children make marks

• Teaching the physical skills which will enable them to control and manipulate writing tools

• Teaching how phonemes are represented through graphemes

• Teaching letter formation

• Providing children with genuine reasons to write

• Ensuring that writing tools and materials are readily available

• Modelling the pleasure and purpose of writing

• Immersing children in an environment of print e.g. vocabulary, sentences, books, labels

• Developing children’s vocabulary by rehearsing orally what they are going to write

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

Writing is valued and promoted through daily direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities across all areas of our provision.

During the planning process careful consideration is given to the next steps in learning and how children can rehearse and refine their writing skills.

New and ambitious vocabulary we want children to learn and use is identified and displayed in the environment in the form of words and sentences.

A mark making tool station is situated in each room of our provision offering a wide variety of mark making tools and materials.

Vertical surfaces such as white boards and easels are also available indoors and outside

Each area of the provision is equipped with relevant writing resources.

We use sensory experiences to develop children’s confidence and enjoyment in early writing skills. We encourage them to mark make in positions where they feel most comfortable e.g. standing, lying, whilst they are developing their core stability.

Adults have a sound knowledge and deep understanding of child development and they recognise the strong links between physical and communication skills and emerging writers. Within the environment adults actively encourage children to practise and develop gross and fine motor skills and oral communication in readiness for writing. By modelling, suggesting and encouraging they promote ways in which children can record their ideas in different ways.

We ensure that children are immersed in different genres of books promoting an enjoyment of reading, extending their vocabulary and cultivating their imagination. We deliver daily exposure to phonics activities in both direct and incidental teaching.

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Draw on a rich store of language in my writing

• Hold a sentence in my head

• Control and manipulate a writing tool

• Use imaginative ideas in my writing

• Write words and tell others what is written

• Use a tripod grip

• Use and talk about the features of different writing

 

 

Mathematics

INTENT STATEMENT:

OVERVIEW

At Blackawton we develop fluent mathematicians who have a deep conceptual understanding of number. We ensure that they are able to provide explanations, give reasons for their answers and tackle future challenges by:

• Providing opportunities for children to practise, rehearse and apply mathematical knowledge and skills

• Encouraging children to investigate numbers by exploring their characteristics and patterns, understanding how they can be manipulated using different operations

• Encouraging them to think logically so that they can make connections and solve problems

• Fostering children’s acquisition and use of mathematical vocabulary to justify and explain their ideas

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

Mathematics is valued and promoted through daily direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities across all areas of provision.

During the planning process careful consideration is given to the next steps in learning. Each area of the provision is equipped with relevant maths resources to enable children to practise and apply their mathematical knowledge and skills.

Specific maths continuous provision offers a variety of open-ended resources that promote a conceptual understanding of number encouraging children to become confident and fluent.

The resources are thoughtfully organised on open shelving so that children can see what and how many are available, access them independently and tidy up time can be optimised as an opportunity to practise and rehearse number skills.

The environment is enhanced with number lines, shapes and mathematical vocabulary to provide children with visual prompts and opportunities to solve problems.

Adults appreciate that maths can be taught everywhere and that the conceptual understanding of number is the basis for all other mathematical learning. They have a sound knowledge and deep understanding of mathematical concepts and vocabulary to enable them to teach the necessary foundation skills which children need to become fluent mathematicians.

Within the environment adults capitalise on every opportunity to present mathematical problems for children to think about and solve. They support children in practising and applying their mathematical knowledge and skills by encouraging them to talk about their thinking, provide explanations and give reasons for their answers.

 

IMPACT: Mathematics

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Recognise and write numbers

• Estimate

• Identify and talk about number patterns

• Add and subtract quantities

• Calculate

• Talk about shape, space and measure using mathematical language

• Sort and match

• Give reasons for my answers

• Solve problems

• Recognise an amount without counting

• Compare quantities

• Sequence numbers

• Recognise an amount in different arrangements

 

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Understanding the World

INTENT STATEMENT: Past and Present

OVERVIEW

At Blackawton Foundation Stage we develop a chronological framework to help children understand where they and significant people and events sit in time by:

• Capitalising on children’s innate desire to make sense of their own place in history

• Exploring the lives of people who are familiar to them comparing similarities and differences

• Cultivating children’s curiosity about people and events within and beyond their living memory

• Exploring historical objects to ask questions and draw conclusions

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

The Past and Present is valued and promoted through direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities across different themes throughout the year.

We use planned themes and capitalise on unplanned moments that present themselves to talk about artefacts and significant events to develop a conceptual understanding of the passing of time. These include birthdays, recent events and experiences.

For each theme we have identified the historical knowledge and skills that we will teach ensuring that knowledge and skills are regularly revisited. We cover the following themes:

All about Me: through this topic children will understand their own place in history

Festivals: through this topic children will learn about significant people and events in history e.g. Guy Fawkes

Old Toys: through this topic children will learn about how things have changed over time

Within the provision a timeline is developed as children find out about and plot significant points in their own history and wider historical events. This visually exemplifies the passing of time, the sequencing of events and their own place in history.

Children are encouraged to share artefacts and events from the past. Adults know and understand historical language. They take every opportunity to model historical vocabulary and teach historical skills encouraging children to ask questions, compare similarities and differences and draw conclusions.

 

IMPACT STATEMENT: 

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Sequence events in the right order

• Talk about myself in a historical sense e.g. this year I am 4, next year I will be five, last year I was 3

• Talk about significant people and event

• Use information in books to talk about life in the past

• Use comparative language of the past, present and future

• Use time vocabulary

• Ask questions to find out more

• Compare similarities and differences

• Draw conclusions about what I have found out

• Talk about the roles people have in society

 

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Understanding the World

INTENT STATEMENT: People, Cultures and Communities

At Blackawton Foundation Stage we capitalise on children’s fascination and interest in their surroundings and the world in which they live by:

• Encouraging an appreciation of the natural world and recognising its similarities and differences

• Fostering a sense of awe and wonder about the world in which they live

• Developing an appreciation of other people, their communities and their traditions

• Enhancing children’s sense of responsibility for the care of their own environment and the impact it has on the whole world

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT: 

Learning about People, Places and Communities is valued and promoted through direct teaching, purposeful learning opportunities and first-hand experiences.

We use planned themes alongside first hand experiences and capitalise on unplanned moments that present themselves to talk about places, communities and the natural world, to develop an appreciation of the world in which they live. These include where they live and their school, their local community and interesting local places

e.g. parks, river, library.

For each theme we have identified the geographical knowledge and skills that we will teach ensuring that knowledge and skills are regularly revisited. We cover the following themes:

Ourselves: through this topic children will learn about their local community

Food and Festivals: through this topic children will learn about places around the world

Our Wonderful World: through this topic children will learn about the features of specific locations

Within the provision we ensure that children have constant access to world and local maps and globes and understand how to use them. We make connections with children’s first-hand experiences to exemplify where children live, where they have visited, holidays they have had, wider global events and countries they have found out about.

Children are encouraged to expand their knowledge of the natural world by capitalising on every opportunity to explore and experience the outdoors. Adults know and understand geographical language. They take every opportunity to model geographical vocabulary and teach geographical skills encouraging children to ask questions, noticing and comparing similarities and differences and expressing opinions. 

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Talk about what it is like to live in this country

• Talk about what it is like to live in another country

• Use a simple map to find out information

• Talk about the key features of different places and different countries

• Talk about the similarities and differences between people’s religions and cultures

• Compare similarities and differences

• Talk about where they live and the key features of the local environment

• Talk about the key features of the country they live in

 

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Understanding the World

INTENT STATEMENT: The Natural World

OVERVIEW

In Early Years we capitalise on children’s thrill of discovery and their instinctive desire to know, understand and find out more by:

• Providing freedom to explore, investigate and experiment using the five senses

• Cultivating children’s curiosity about how and why things work and how things change

• Encouraging questioning, testing out of ideas and drawing conclusions

• Fostering children’s excitement and pleasure in the awe and wonder of natural phenomena

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

The Natural World is valued and promoted through direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities across different themes throughout the year.

We use planned themes and capitalise on unplanned moments that present themselves to talk about living things, materials and changes. These include natural objects, new life and recycling.

For each theme we have identified the scientific knowledge and skills that we will teach ensuring that knowledge and skills are regularly revisited. We cover the following themes:

Ourselves: through this topic children will learn about changes and living things

Build it: through this topic children will learn about changes and materials

Our Wonderful Planet: through this topic children will learn about changes and living things

Life cycles and Minibeasts through this topic children will learn about living things and materials

In addition to learning specifically been taught about the natural world, opportunities are also provided for children to practise and apply scientific knowledge and skills through investigation and exploration in all areas of our provision.

Investigation areas, inside and outdoors, are resourced with a range of 'scientific' equipment and materials which offer opportunities for children to observe, investigate, explore and experiment.

Adults know the characteristics of a good scientist. They model technical language and scientific behaviours and attitudes encouraging children to ask questions, test out ideas, carry out investigations and draw conclusions.

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Talk about the properties of materials

• Make a sensible prediction

• Record findings

• Observe, notice and make comparisons

• Talk about the characteristics of weather and seasons

• Name the parts of plants and animals

• Talk about similarities and differences

• Draw conclusions

• Talk about reversible and irreversible changes

• Carry out an investigation

 

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Expressive Arts and Design Creating with Materials   

INTENT STATEMENT

OVERVIEW

• In Early Years we capitalise on children’s natural excitement for and freedom to express their thoughts, ideas and inner feelings as artists by:

• Providing children with opportunities to explore and experiment with different media and materials

• Encouraging children to be inventive and imaginative allowing them to express their creativity in ways that are personal to them

• Allowing children to use their own imagination to be uninhibited artists

• Introducing children to how things work

• Providing children with a purpose to design, make and evaluate 

• Encouraging children to investigate and explore a wide range of materials and tools

• Supporting children to find original solutions using resources in unique ways

• Nurturing children’s confidence to try new things

• Fostering children’s resourcefulness and resilience to enable them to take risks and learn from their mistakes

 

IMPLEMENTATION STATEMENT:

Being an artist is valued and promoted through direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities across different themes throughout the year.

We use planned themes and capitalise on unplanned moments that present themselves to talk about line, shapes, colour, form and texture.

We look at the work of famous artists as part of our topic work to provide children with opportunities to learn about different techniques and styles.  

We encourage observational drawing and drawing skills are often modelled by staff. This learning is then reflected within the provision where children have opportunities to practise and refine these skills independently.

For each curriculum theme we have identified the artistic knowledge and skills that we will teach ensuring that knowledge and skills are regularly revisited. We cover the following themes:

All About Me and My Family: through this topic children will learn about lines and shapes through self-portraits and different materials

Bonfire Night and Christmas - Exploring colour and colour mixing

Investigation weeks - Joining materials and exploring textures

Garden and Growing - Creating closed shapes and continuous lines

Minibeasts: through this topic children will learn about form through sculpture

Zoo/Farm Animals: through this topic children will learn about colour and texture through collage and painting

Opportunities are also provided for children to express their own creative ideas by exploring, experimenting and combining materials to create different effects.

Creative areas, inside and outdoors, are resourced with a wide range of tools, media and materials and are organised in a way that encourages children to be independent in their choices and decisions. We recognise and use the links between being an artist and gross and fine motor development and provide vertical surfaces and large areas where children can stand enabling them to have greater stability and more control over the tools they are using.

In the provision adults promote children’s creativity and imagination by valuing their ideas and encouraging freedom of expression. They support and facilitate children in the application of their artistic knowledge and skills. 

Creating things is valued and promoted through direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities across all planned themes throughout the year.

We use planned themes and capitalise on unplanned moments that present themselves to encourage children to design, make and evaluate.

For each theme we have identified the knowledge and skills that we will teach ensuring that they are regularly revisited.

We provide children with a purpose to design, make and evaluate products that move, are structurally sound and are healthy and safe for example through building, cooking, sewing and making products.

We include opportunities for children to assemble and disassemble objects to learn more about how things work.

Opportunities are also provided for children to practise and apply what they have learnt in different contexts and for a variety of purposes.

The environment focused area,  Construction area and Creative Workshop, inside and outdoors, which are resourced with a wide range of equipment and tools. They are organised in a way that encourages children to be independent in their choices and decisions and to use their knowledge to find solutions and use resources in unique and innovative ways.

Both areas include resources to plan their ideas. 

In our provision adults promote children’s creativity, originality and problem solving by valuing their ideas and encouraging them to make connections in their learning, take risks and learn from mistakes.

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Mould and sculpt

• Express my imagination and creativity

• Use different techniques

• Express my own ideas

• Control and manipulate different tools

• Combine different materials to create different textures

• Create 2D and 3D representations

• Draw myself to include head, body, arms,

• Share and talk about my creations

• Explain the processes I use

• Use props and materials in my role play

• Talk about famous artists

• Make different tones and shades of colours

• Solve problems

• Control and manipulate different tools

• Design and plan

• Make a structure strong, stable and balance

• Evaluate my work so I can make improvements

• Express my imagination

• Be creative and innovative

• Share and talk about my creations

• Talk about and identify what different materials can be used for

• Join materials together

 

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Expressive Arts and Design Being Imaginative and Expressive

INTENT STATEMENT:

OVERVIEW

In Early Years we capitalise on children’s innate desire to listen to, make and explore sound by:

• Providing freedom for children to be curious, experimenting with and creating their own music

• Reinforcing children’s responses to sounds and encouraging composition and performance

• Cultivating children’s desire to be inventive and imaginative allowing them to express their creativity in ways that are personal to them

 

Implementation Statement:

Music is valued and promoted through direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities across our provision.

Different genres are played to provide opportunities for children to listen to, appreciate and explore sounds, instruments, beat and rhythm. The genres covered vary from Pop to Flamenco to African.

Singing is an integral part of the daily routines and children are taught new songs as well as practising songs they already know. Over the year they develop a wide repertoire of songs and rhymes that they know by heart.

A weekly music session is also delivered focusing on musical knowledge and skills.

We resource the enabling environment with a wide range of untuned and tuned musical instruments and beaters, familiar songs and rhymes and equipment to play and record music. This encourages children to be curious about sound and confident in experimenting with ways of combining different sounds.

We recognise and use the links between Dance and Music and provide children with a stage where they are encouraged to perform themselves and appreciate others’ performances.

In our provision adults promote children’s creativity and imagination by valuing their ideas and encouraging freedom of expression. They support and facilitate opportunities for children to rehearse, refine and develop their musical skills.

Dance is valued and promoted through direct teaching and purposeful learning opportunities within our provision.

A weekly PE session is delivered focusing on a wide range of knowledge and skills. These sessions are used to practise balance and coordination through core work, building strength, crossing the midline and symmetrical movements.

We use our annual themes and the relationship between Dance and Music as a stimulus to plan opportunities for children to experiment with and create their own dance movements. Children also have access to a stage, instruments, recorded music, costumes and props where they are encouraged to be inventive, imaginative and perform themselves and appreciate others’ performances.

In the provision adults promote children’s creativity and imagination by valuing their ideas and encouraging freedom of expression. They support and facilitate opportunities for children to rehearse, refine and develop their dance skills.

 

Impact Statement:

By the end of my time at Blackawton Foundation Stage I will know how to…

• Express likes and dislikes about music

• Compose and perform

• Manipulate and combine sounds

• Follow a rhythm

• Express my imagination and creativity

• Share and talk about my creations

• Sing a range of rhymes and songs

• Play untuned and tuned instruments

• Keep a steady beat

• Perform

• Express my imagination and creativity

• Join and sequence of different moments

• Share and talk about my movement

• Transfer my weight from one body part to another

• Balance

• Negotiate space

• Move their body in different ways and in different directions

• Move in time to music

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