Structure
The EYFS at Corvedale school is formed by two parts the Nursery and the Reception Children of Class 1. The School took over the Nursery in April 2021 officially incorporating it into Corvedale Primary School in September 2021. At this time there was a complete overhaul of the building and there was staff restructuring. Overtime significant environmental improvements have been undertaken to develop and improve the learning environment.
Corvedale's Nursery
The Nursery is located within the main building of Corvedale C of E Primary School. It provides a safe, caring and stimulating environment that promotes learning through play, using excellent resources and many opportunities for children to develop their social skills as they play alongside and with other children. The facility was refurbished in 2021.
We encourage independence and self-confidence throughout. Our imaginative and progressive curriculum provides a wide range of new experiences and activities for the children. Including joining in whole school activities and events such as an easter egg hunt and pantomime and there are many times we join Class 1 such as weekly themed cooking sessions and child-initiated sessions.
Our aim is to enrich and stimulate the children's experiences, to provide opportunities for them to progress through learning situations, and to help them develop skills relevant to their needs in school. We will also encourage them to develop socially and to form good relationships with other children and adults. Our dedicated and experienced staff team are committed to providing the highest quality early education and wellbeing of the children.
We have developed a very successful and popular Parent and Tots group once a week. Feedback is very positive and the interactions and exposure during these sessions has resulted in increased numbers of children joining the Nursery.
Our imaginative outdoor resources and the beautiful school setting means there is an abundance of outdoor activities that take place. We have weekly forest school sessions at a forest site at Milichope and a wilderness outdoor area next to the setting which contains amongst other activities a mud Kitchen. There is a gardening area run by the school which the children have regular access to. There are also regular walks to the village stream and fields to explore and enjoy.
Corvedale's Reception
The reception children join Class 1 with the Year 1 children. Class 1 is located adjacent to the Nursery class. The environment is similar to the nursery and there are times of shared learning and play resulting is a very smooth and happy transition between year groups.
In Reception the children cover the EYFS curriculum working towards achieving the Early Learning Goals whilst experiencing the fluidity of working with Year 1 children covering the KS1 curriculum. The two curriculums are carefully blended together at times making for exciting stimulating lessons that allow for children to excel in their areas of interest and receive support when needed. This leads to an extremely smooth transition between EYFS and KS1 learning.
In Class 1 there is a strong emphasis on phonics and reading (which is particularly strong at Corvedale) and there is a mastery approach used for the teaching of mathematics. Both areas are taught discreetly for each of the year groups but can have themes that overlap.
There is a strong focus in the Autumn term on settling in (social and emotional skills) being ready for reading, fundamental number sense and FMS and GMS.
Our main aim is for happy and confident children who have excellent relationships with peers, staff and the whole school giving them the foundations to make good progress and achievement. Our smooth transition and careful pastoral activities facilitate this.
There are robust and effective reading and phonics procedures in place. Combined with excellent home school links that include information evenings and clear and structured home learning ideas that ensure good progress and targeted support.
The development of FMS leads to leads to targeted writing activities that are linked to high quality text and allow for good writing progression. The children learn cursive letter formation linked to their phonics learning.
Fun and practical Number activities promote the Number sense needed for Mathematics learning. incorporating The Number Sense approach and White Rose.
Link to Corvedale Vision and Values
Link to EYFS Intent Implement Impact Statement
Link to Corvedale EYFS Curricular Goals Tree
Link to Corvedale EYFS Curricular Goals Milestones
Link to Corvedale Cultural Capital Statement