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EYFS MATHS & LITERACY

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​It also states that;

‘When planning and guiding what children learn, practitioners must reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately. Three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are:

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  • Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’;

  • Active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements;

  • Creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things’.

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Teachers and practitioners support children in developing these skills in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practise and begin to communicate about their developing understanding. Early Maths development includes seeking patterns, making connections, recognising relationships, working with numbers, shapes and measures, and counting, sorting and matching. Children use their knowledge and skills in these areas to solve problems and make connections across other areas of learning and development.

Children in the EYFS at Villa Real learn in many different ways and our varied environments, learning and teaching styles provide a wealth of unique learning experiences for our children. Some may learn by playing, exploring and being active, some by modelling, repetitive routines and real-life experiences and others through creative, songs and games, all of which take place both indoors and outside. Our children have the opportunities to learn in many different ways depending on their needs. Continuous provision and incidental learning opportunities, as well as planned sessions and activities are all prevalent in the way Mathematics is organised and delivered across all three provisions. Learners who are in other key stages, but are still developing their understanding of these early maths skills also learn in similar ways.

More specifically, there are different teaching approaches that are related to the individual needs of the student cohorts. Within the ASD provision TEACCH bays and a series of boxed activities may be seen. They are recorded and progression is planned for accordingly. Within the CE provision, early maths concepts are taught, practiced and recalled throughout discreet lessons, play and Task Series, for example the rhythmic counting when using rhythmic intentions to support the movements of body parts to execute a task, directional and positional language is also used and repeated throughout. In the SLD provision you may see a more mainstream approach to teaching, perhaps in small groups with appropriate support in place for individuals.

Mathematical understanding is developed through stories, songs, games, routine, questioning, imaginative play, practical activities, child initiated learning and structured teaching. The engagement model captures meaningful observations to help plan next steps.

Development Matters 2023 states that children at Reception level will:

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  • Count objects, actions and sounds;

  • Subitise;

  • Link the number symbol (numeral) with its cardinal number value;

  • Compare numbers;

  • Understand the ‘one more than/one less than’ relationship between consecutive numbers;

  • Explore the composition of numbers to 10;

  • Automatically recall number bonds for numbers 0–5 and some to 10;

  • Select, rotate and manipulate shapes to develop spatial reasoning skills;

  • Compose and decompose shapes so that children recognise a shape can have other shapes within it, just as numbers can;

  • Continue, copy and create repeating patterns;

  • Compare length, weight and capacity.

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We at Villa Real are a SEN school and therefore our early maths skills and teaching can often be focussed on the prerequisites to these skills. Skills such as attending to an activity, scanning and looking at items, feeling or touching new things, following routines, listening to number or counting songs, clapping, combining, stacking, building, matching colours, posting games, simple inset puzzles, threading, displaying counting behaviours like pointing to objects or filling and emptying containers in the sand and water etc. These are all skills which are found in the earlier stages of child development and are essential for future learning and acquisition of Maths and Numeracy skills.

A good use of language in Mathematics helps children to recognise, create and describe patterns, which is essential for early problem solving skills. At Villa Real we believe children should gain a clear and thorough understanding of mathematical language and its meaning right from the start. Through our different provisions we deliver a varied approach to teaching key vocabulary depending on what the individual requires to support them with their understanding and acquisition. We ensure that key vocabulary and any communication in Maths is facilitated in many different ways, for example through symbols both low and high tech, PODD etc. to ensure all pupils have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

EARLY YEARS MATHS AT VILLA REAL SCHOOL

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Our ambitious curriculum begins in EYFS where pupils follow the Villa Real Early Years Framework a broadened curriculum created from the Early Year Foundation Stage Framework Document 2024 and Development Matters 2023.  Early Maths skills are taught here as well as throughout the whole school depending on the academic ability of the learners.

Mathematical Development is identified as a ‘Specific Area’ of learning within EYFS Framework (2024) and it states that;

‘Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers.’

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By providing frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding – such as using manipulatives, including small pebbles and tens frames for organising counting – children will develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built. In addition, it is important that the curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures. It is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes.’

EARLY YEARS LITERACY AT VILLA REAL SCHOOL

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During the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Teachers and practitioners support children in developing their communication, comprehension, and literacy in a broad range of contexts.

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Children in the EYFS at Villa Real learn in many different ways and our varied environments, learning and teaching styles provide a wealth of unique learning experiences for our children.  Some may learn by playing, exploring and being active. Some, by modelling, repetitive routines and real-life experiences and others through creative, songs and games. All of which take place both indoors and outside.  Our children have the opportunities to learn in many different ways depending on their needs.  Continuous provision and incidental learning opportunities, as well as planned sessions and activities are all prevalent in the way Literacy is organised and delivered across all three provisions. 

At Villa Real, all Literacy learning from the EYFS is planned and sequenced within a whole school scheme of work, utilising the Launchpad for Literacy Framework to support next steps and identify any gaps or misunderstandings across all areas of Literacy learning.

We use different teaching approaches to meet the needs of the pupil/students. Within the ASD provision, you may see TEACCH bays and learning box activities being used to focus the pupils/students and help them focus on learning. Within the Conductive Education provision, early literacy concepts are taught, practiced and recalled throughout discreet lessons, play and Task Series. 

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​ASPECTS OF LEARNING

Communication and Language is a Prime Area of the EYFS Framework and underpins learning across all seven areas of learning and development.

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Communication and language development is also divided into two sub-categories. EYFS Framework (2024) states ‘The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children's language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, storytelling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.’

At Villa Real School we support all forms of communication – using a range of additional methods to ensure children meet their potential maximum receptive and expressive communication abilities.

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Literacy Development is a Specific Area of learning within the framework, it is broken down into 3 subcategories of comprehension, word reading, and writing.

Literacy development is cited in the EYFS Framework (2024) ‘It is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together. Skilled word reading, taught later, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing).’

 

Receptive and expressive communication is at the heart of literacy comprehension. This is supported throughout the curriculum offer with spoken, sign and symbol formats to ensure equal access to learning for all children.

Objects, images and symbols are used to support ‘reading’. The Lanchpad for Literacy Framework breaks down the composite parts of pre-reading and pre-phonics learning that must be in place to secure solid Literacy foundations upon which to build throughout their learning career.

Villa Real School excels in its ability to provide alternative forms of ‘writing’ not limited to handwriting. Children use a range of forms to communicate their ideas including symbols, adult scribes, or when a child attempts mark making and tells the adult what their ‘writing’ says. We foster a can do approach, showing the children that they can be writers – we do not wait for fine motor skills to be at a level to start writing. Children are able to see their thoughts on paper in alternative ways whilst developing their fine and gross motor skills.

  

LITERACY IN EYFS AT VILLA REAL SCHOOL

Literacy skills are developed through stories, songs, games, discussion, questioning, imaginative play, practical activities, child-initiated learning and structured teaching. Engagement with an activity, scanning and focusing, attention and looking, feeling or touching new things, following routines, listening to songs, clapping, matching, games, etc.  These are all skills which are found in the early stages of child development and are essential for future learning. 

Depending on their special educational need, children will demonstrate learning and development in different ways. Practitioners observing a child involved in day-to-day activities must be alert to their demonstrating attainment in a variety of ways, including eye pointing, the use of symbols or signs. With the exception of ELG Communication and Language, Speaking, where the EYFS profile contains the word ‘talks’ or ‘speaks’, children can use their established or preferred mode of communication. 

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Children should use the adaptations they normally use to carry out their activities so that practitioners come to know all children at their most capable. Adaptations include: 

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  • Mobility aids

  • Magnification

  • Adapted ICT and Equipment 

  • Communication Aids​

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If a child’s learning and development doesn’t yet meet the description of the level expected at the end of the EYFS for an individual ELG, practitioners should record the outcome as ‘emerging’. They should also record details of any specific assessment and provision in place for the child. 

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This will be used in discussions with parents so that they have a clear understanding of their child’s development and any additional support that will be offered. We also use the details to support planning for future learning.

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  • Maintain children’s enthusiasm and confidence by responding to the children’s interests and lines of enquiry as well as planning practical and appealing activities which are appropriate for the children’s level of development, and which take account of different learning styles and ability. 

  • Make use of everyday play activities to stimulate discussion and vocabulary

  • Do not rush children 

  • Use a wide-range of resources and activities both indoors and outdoors to develop the children’s enjoyment of literacy in a varied and stimulating way.

  • Interact with a diverse range of multi-sensory, motivational resources which appeal to our young children, takes account of those who for whom English is not the home language or who may need to use alternative communication systems, and which promote independent learning.

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EYFS Literacy
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