Early Years Foundation Stage

At Harris Primary Academy Orpington, we pride ourselves on our engaging curriculum which allows for many 'I wonder' moments as the children engage in many real life opportunities within an immersive environment. 

The children within our early years (Reception) learn through a range of play based opportunities as well as adult led and independent activities. All staff are involved in planning a wide range of exciting activities that promote our core values of achievement, perseverance, community, manners and responsibility where the outcome is a cohort of happy, independent, confident and determined learners who are able to communicate well and have the ability to think critically and share their thoughts and ideas. All seven main areas of learning are incorporated into the outdoor curriculum and planning is linked and themed tying all reas of learning together.

Throughout the EYFS curriculum we are always incorporating children’s skills and development under the characteristics of effective learning by providing opportunities to support playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically.   Medium term planning (half termly) helps us link the essential skills to be developed to specific planned activities and identifies assessment opportunities, which in turn supports the individual child to move forward in their learning.

Short term (weekly) planning includes specific plans for coverage of the daily Literacy, Mathematics, handwriting and phonic whole class teaching sessions, where learning objectives will be shared verbally with the children.  Adult led focus activities are also planned to develop and move children forward in all areas of their learning, again small targets are verbally shared to support progression in each child’s individual learning experience.