Intent

At King’s Cliffe Endowed Primary School, we are committed to providing a nurturing, engaging and inclusive environment for our pre-school and Reception children. Our intent is for children to grow a love for learning through play, curiosity and exploration, while promoting their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.

We aim to develop the whole child and provide strong foundations for lifelong learning, using the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters as our guides.

At King’s Cliffe, we have designed our own curriculum with a thematic approach to stimulate imagination, encourage independence and build resilience. Our curriculum is progressive, building on prior learning with the aim of preparing children for their educational journey at King’s Cliffe and for their future lives.

Implementation

In order to achieve our intent, we implement the following strategies within our setting:

1. Play-Based Learning: We create a stimulating and well-resourced environment that encourages children to explore through play. Each area of our setting, both inside and outside, is designed to ensure that children can engage in creative, physical and cognitive activities that promote learning.
2. Personalised Learning: We recognise that each child is unique and tailor our approach to meet individual needs. We observe and assess children regularly to ensure that we meet the needs of every child. Through the use of cohort analysis, we identify areas of our curriculum in which children need additional support or challenge. Consequently, we make adaptations to our learning environment and approaches to teaching to ensure that every child is supported to reach their full potential.
3. Inclusive Practices: Our setting celebrates diversity and creates an inclusive environment where all children, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities, feel valued and respected. We employ strategies to ensure that every family feels part of our community and is actively involved in their child’s education. We invest time in finding out about the cultural capital children already have and strive to develop this further through experiences and enrichment.
4. Parental Engagement: We believe that strong partnerships with parents and carers are crucial to a child’s learning and development. We communicate regularly with parents through Tapestry and ParentMail, providing activities and information that enable them to support learning at home. We also encourage parents to share their expertise and invite them into school to contribute to workshops and sessions, further developing children’s learning and cultural capital.
5. Holistic Development: Our curriculum encompasses all areas of learning, including communication and language; personal, social and emotional development; physical development; literacy; mathematics; understanding the world; and expressive arts and design. We ensure that learning experiences are interconnected, allowing children to develop across all areas.

Impact

The impact of our intent and implementation can be seen in a number of ways:

1. Progress and Development: Children demonstrate progress across all areas of learning, evidenced through ongoing assessment, observations and achievements documented on Tapestry and in their learning journeys.
2. Confidence and Independence: Children show increasing confidence and independence in their learning, taking initiative and showing a willingness to explore new ideas and experiences, demonstrating our values of creativity and innovation.
3. Social Skills and Relationships: Children build strong social skills, developing friendships and learning to work collaboratively with their peers. They demonstrate compassion and respect, recognising and valuing the equality of others.
4. Positive Attitudes Towards Learning: Children grow a love for learning, evidenced by their eagerness to explore a range of learning opportunities, their curiosity and their ability to ask questions and seek answers.
5. Preparation for Future Learning: Our pre-school and Reception provision supports children in developing the resilience needed for a successful transition to Year 1, equipping them with the foundational skills they need to thrive in their future educational experiences.

At King’s Cliffe Endowed Primary School, we are dedicated to creating a supportive and enriching environment that inspires children to learn, grow and succeed. By focusing on our intentions, implementing effective strategies and evaluating their impact, we strive to provide a positive foundation for every child in the early years at our school.