2023–24 | DBIS EYFS Curriculum Handbook

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Curriculum

2023–24

FS-1 & FS-2

Key Stage 1

Key Stage 2

Years 7 to 9

Years 10 & 11

Sixth Form

Our Core Values

• We respect the needs and rights of each member of our community.

• We show care, kindness and compassion to others.

• We are supportive of each other.

• We embrace diversity and celebrate individuality.

• We are responsible and honest in our actions.

• We promote a sense of personal identity and a global mindset.

Our Mission

We provide an outstanding holistic international education to students in an inclusive and nurturing learning environment. We seek to inspire and empower students to succeed in fulfilling their individual potential as global citizens in a rapidly changing world.

Our Aims

• To promote a culture of excellence in teaching and learning.

• To provide a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the international nature of the DBIS student community.

• To encourage internationalism, providing students with the skills, dispositions and knowledge to participate in an increasingly interconnected world.

• To ensure a supportive, happy and secure environment for learning.

• To develop leadership skills and a sense of service to others through a range of extracurricular opportunities locally and internationally.

• To encourage the physical and emotional wellbeing of each individual.

• To use innovative pedagogy and technology to enrich learning.

• To work in partnership with parents, alumni and the local and wider community in the ongoing development of the school.

• To foster a learning community where every student, teacher, staff member, parent and DBIS alumni has an ongoing passion for learning.

Welcome to DBIS Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) consists of FS-1 and FS-2 and is the first part of the children’s learning journey in our Primary School. The EYFS campus is located close to Discovery Bay South Plaza and is purposefully designed to meet the needs of children between the ages of three and five years old. Our FS-1 and FS-2 children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum of England. Our curriculum/learning experience is adapted and personalised to suit our international context and is delivered through an inquiry-based pedagogy that is progressive in nature as children move through the Primary School. The nonstatutory ‘Birth to 5 Matters’ guidance is used to support the delivery of our curriculum in EYFS.

Our Primary School places the children at the centre of all that we do. In EYFS, our approach to teaching and learning is inspired by the principles of Reggio Emilia, where respect, responsibility and community lie at the heart of our practice. We view children as having extraordinary potential for learning and the ability to form their own understandings of the world around them. Our focus is upon nurturing creative, resilient and independent learners who are excited and confident to experiment and explore through active learning. The Characteristics of Effective Learning and the DBIS Learner Profile provide the foundations to support children in becoming lifelong learners and critical thinkers. Supporting the development of different learning dispositions, behaviours and habits is an important part of our approach to teaching and learning in EYFS as this builds strong foundations for future learning.

Our children are supported to take risks, think critically and develop understandings through exploration and inquiry. This experience is underpinned by our child-centred, personalised learning approach, which supports the development of the whole child and recognises the wonder of childhood.

Teachers and educational assistants are seen as partners and co-constructors in the children’s learning journeys, ensuring learning is continually placed in a meaningful context by engaging with the children’s interests and ideas. Our children experience authentic learning opportunities such as woodwork, Forest School and Beach School, and we pride ourselves on our child-led, Reggio Emilia-inspired learning environments, which support opportunities for open-ended inquiry.

We place great importance on positive relationships and interactions amongst all members of our school community as these support our holistic and inclusive approach. We derive much of our strength from the surrounding community; therefore, establishing and maintaining supportive relationships is key to the ethos of our Primary School. By working together, we can ensure that all children in EYFS value and enjoy their time here, that they are sufficiently challenged and supported in their learning and that they secure strong foundations for their entire learning journey in a happy, nurturing environment.

After reading this booklet, you will gain a sense of how our warm and caring environment, as well as the provision of opportunities for stimulating, inquiry-based learning, inspire our children to become curious, independent learners who are motivated to achieve their full potential.

Hannah Tait Head of EYFS & Primary

Our EYFS Philosophy

REGGIO EMILIA

DBIS EYFS has adop ted the overarching principles taken from the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. The Reggio Emilia approach derives its name from its place of origin, Reggio Emilia, a city located in northern Italy. Shortly after the Second World War, the parents of this region collaborated with Loris Malaguzzi, a lifelong educator, innovator and creative philosopher, to find a unique system of early childhood education. The Reggio Emilia approach is based on the principles of respect, responsibility and community.

There is an expression from the Reggio Emilia approach that ‘a child has a hundred languages’. This expression symbolically describes all the languages of learning. These can be displayed through innovation, nature, construction, fantasy, art, music, dance, building, writing, talking, signing, science, body and soul. The languages of learning are used to help children develop knowledge, make connections and understand the world around them.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Image of the Children

The Reggio Emilia philosophy believes in the rights and opinions of each child. A child is a competent, capable and natural learner who has the desire for knowledge and life and is always ready for challenges.

The Role of the Teacher & Other Adults

The teacher and supporting adults play a critical role by being the child’s partner and by co-constructing learning possibilities. In order to further the learning process, the teachers listen, observe, inquire, document, work together and reflect upon the experiences of the children.

The Environment as the Third Teacher

The learning environments throughout our school are thoughtfully planned to ensure they are inviting places for the children to learn. The Reggio Emilia philosophy believes that the environment in which your child explores is the third teacher; therefore, time is invested to carefully plan these environments to allow powerful learning to take place all the time. Materials in the classroom inspire the children to think critically, and they support our children’s independent expression of thought.

Documentation

Each moment of your child’s day is filled with meaningful experiences and thoughtful interactions. In order to understand the children and the way they learn, our teachers work diligently to document all aspects of the learning process. Whether it be online learning journals, child-specific observations or the children’s artwork, all moments are considered parts of the process and are made visible in the classroom for revisiting and reflection. Teachers and children alike are able to view the children’s thinking and learning processes through documentation. Our child-directed, Reggio Emilia-inspired environments and our inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning come together to promote personalised learning experiences for our children in the EYFS section of our Primary phase.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEARNING

From the day they are born, children are powerful learners. They can develop strong behaviours, habits and dispositions that will support them throughout their learning journey and help them to self-regulate both cognitively and emotionally. It is our job as adults to foster these attributes and characteristics in each child as they grow and control their processes of thinking and learning.

In EYFS, our environments are carefully planned to ensure the children are able to develop these characteristics.

The three characteristics of effective learning are:

Playing & Exploring – Children investigate and experience things and ‘have a go’.

Active Learning – Children concentrate and keep trying even if they encounter difficulties, and they enjoy achieving what they set out to do.

Creating & Thinking Critically – Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things.

The DBIS Learner Profile

The DBIS Learner Profile further supports the children to grow as learners and global citizens. In EYFS and Key Stage 1, our Learner Profile characters support the children in becoming familiar with each attribute and with how the attributes support their growth as a learner. Our children are positively recognised as they develop competence and capability in the different attributes.

COMMITTED LEARNER

I am curious and motivated to learn. I am committed, adaptable and resilient, and I learn from my mistakes.

BALANCED INDIVIDUAL

I am reflective and thoughtful and consider how my actions impact myself and others. I believe that more effort or a different approach will pay off.

MINDFUL LEADER

I am empowered to lead others. I respectfully communicate with others and demonstrate flexibility. I value honesty, kindness and equality.

RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN

I am aware of my responsibilities, and I courageously make good choices to help other people, my community and the environment.

EFFECTIVE COLLABORATOR

I can work independently. I can work collaboratively with others to achieve an end goal.

CONFIDENT COMMUNICATOR

I organise and share my ideas clearly and confidently, and I show active listening to others.

PROBLEM SOLVER

I enjoy finding out new things. I am a risk-taker and learn by trial and error. I set myself goals, and I plan to find solutions.

CREATIVE THINKER

I am inquisitive and imaginative. I make connections to further my understanding, which helps me to create new ideas.

Teaching & Learning in EYFS

INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING

Play and inquiry are powerful vehicles for enabling children to learn. Young children learn most effectively when they feel safe, are engaged and are having fun. Children’s learning becomes really meaningful when they are free to inquire and learn at their own pace and in their own way. It is for this reason that learning at DBIS EYFS is facilitated through play and inquiry as well as through quality adult-directed and child-initiated experiences, inspired by the children’s interests and our EYFS curriculum. The children’s strengths are identified so that we can meet each child at their stage of development to ensure success and progress along their personal learning journey.

DISCOVERY UNITS

Our EYFS curriculum is enhanced by our Discovery units. Through these units, our children learn the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to become aware of the world around them. Our units focus on ways of thinking, communicating, conceiving and realising ideas and information. Our EYFS teachers act as facilitators and co-constructors of learning to assist the children in developing the capacity to design and evaluate processes and inspire creativity and innovation. Different concepts underpin the planning, and the concepts represent big, abstract ideas. Our Discovery units also enable our children to develop the personal skills they need in order to take an active part in their world throughout their lives. They help our children develop an international mindset alongside their awareness of their own self, encouraging them to become lifelong learners.

THE ROLE OF OUTDOOR PROVISION

For young children’s wellbeing and development, the outdoor environment is as valued and important as the indoor environment. We ensure that our children have access to high-quality outdoor environments at our EYFS campus. Both the indoor and outdoor environments are carefully planned to ensure their purposeful use. The climate here in Hong Kong provides a wonderfully rich and dynamic environment for exploration, inquiry and discussion.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Our experiential learning opportunities help our children to:

• Develop a positive sense of themselves and others;

• Develop the confidence to use their communication, language and literacy skills for a range of situations and purposes;

• Explore, enjoy, learn, practise and talk about mathematical ideas in a broad range of contexts;

• Work at making sense of their world, encountering and exploring creatures, people, plants, tools and materials in natural and real-life situations;

• Be active and interactive, developing sensory integration, movement, coordination, control and manipulation;

• Nurture their creative curiosity, exploration and play, using a full range of experiences to explore and share creative thoughts, ideas and feelings.

Forest School & Beach School

DBIS was the first school in Hong Kong to adopt the principles of the Forest and Beach School programmes. These sessions take place every week, giving our children a unique opportunity to investigate the natural world, to collaborate, to construct, to build and to begin to develop an awareness of sustainability and of our ecologically diverse world. Both programmes enhance authentic learning opportunities for our children and are important parts of our EYFS curriculum.

Woodwork

Woodwork is an important part of our provision. Having trained in how to use the tools and equipment safely, our children are able to explore the woodwork area, which is known as ‘Carpenters’ Cabin’. They are encouraged to engage in the design process and to implement their ideas using a range of wood, loose parts and other recyclable materials. As the children’s confidence develops, they are expected to move from developing abstract designs to labelled drawings as part of the design-and-make process.

CHALLENGE AT DBIS

All staff are responsible for differentiating the curriculum for children identified on our challenge register and will monitor their progress and development. Teachers review and monitor the progress made by children and the efficacy of resources and other curriculum materials.

In EYFS, we support your child by making sure the learning opportunities are suited to their unique needs yet are flexible enough to be able to follow their interests.

EYFS Curriculum Overview

In FS-1 and FS-2, we follow the EYFS for England, which is tailored to meet the needs of our unique international community. We believe play and inquiry are powerful vehicles for children’s learning and that they promote the highest standards of learning and development for children between the ages of three and five.

Our EYFS curriculum is complemented by our specialist teaching in Music, Mandarin, Physical Education (PE) and Learning Technologies (LT). In addition, our children visit the library on a weekly basis. Our Forest and Beach School programmes, and our woodwork opportunities, help to provide authentic learning experiences for our children, enabling them to rehearse and practise skills and enrich their learning. Our experiential learning opportunities support the development of the whole child and help cultivate attributes for lifelong learning.

Our approach to teaching and learning in EYFS is informed by the best available research and evidence on child development between the ages of three and five. The learning experience reflects the broad range of skills, knowledge and understanding children need as foundations for a successful future. We guide the development of the children’s capabilities with a view to ensuring they complete EYFS ready to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead of them in Key Stage 1 and beyond.

OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES OF THE CURRICULUM

Four guiding principles shape our practice in EYFS and are documented in the EYFS 2021 Statutory Framework.

A Unique Child

Every child is unique, constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive Relationships

Children learn to be strong and independent learners through positive relationships.

Enabling Environments With Teaching & Support From Adults

Children learn and develop successfully in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. At DBIS, we value how positive relationships with all stakeholders in the community make a difference to our children’s learning and development.

Learning & Development

Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. Our framework covers the education and care of all children, including children with special educational needs and disabilities. In planning and guiding the children’s experiences, we reflect on the different ways that children learn, and we mirror these in our practice.

The EYFS Curriculum

The EYFS learning experience is based on the EYFS 2021 framework and is supported by the non-statutory guidance of ‘Birth to 5 Matters’. It includes:

• The seven areas of learning and development;

• High-quality, age-appropriate observation and assessment opportunities that inform future planning;

• Specialist teaching and learning in Learning Technologies (LT), Music, Physical Education (PE) and Mandarin;

• A strong focus on language development through quality interactions and a language-rich environment;

• A strong focus on self-regulation and executive function to build strong foundations for learning and development as the children move into Key Stage 1;

• The Early Learning Goals (ELGs), which summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young children should have gained by the end of FS-2.

THE SEVEN AREAS OF LEARNING

There are seven areas of learning and development that shape our educational programme in the EYFS. All areas of learning and development are important and interconnected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas, the Prime Areas, are:

• Personal, Social & Emotional Development

• Communication & Language

• Physical Development

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

Who we are, our relationships with others and how we feel are the foundations for our lives. Developing a positive sense of self is key to children’s wellbeing and resilience, which we know have a significant impact on their learning and achievement. Children’s self-confidence and their potential to think and learn are influenced by their sense of self, their emotional understanding and the quality of their relationships. Personal, social and emotional development are therefore crucial to children in EYFS as they are fundamental to all other aspects of lifelong learning.

Communication & Language

Young children depend on interactions with responsive others to become confident communicators and language users. Communication and language are the foundations for learning and development, supporting independent thinking and emerging literacy skills. A language-rich environment is crucial for supporting children as they explore sounds, symbols and words in their everyday world. Through ongoing, varied and positive experiences, we give our children opportunities to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations. We recognise that for many of our children, English is a second or third language and that their first language provides the roots to learning additional languages. With this in mind, we encourage parents to continue to use their home language as it strengthens their child’s language proficiency when they engage with new environments.

Physical Development

Children’s learning and development is underpinned by physical development. Engagement with extensive physical experiences supports the development of neurological, sensory and fine motor skills that are essential for positive body image. Physical development includes health, wellbeing and self-care. We help our children to understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy choices in relation to food. Twice a week, under the guidance of a specialist teacher, our children participate in physical activities whilst practising the rules of safety, cooperation and gross motor

skills development. Throughout the day, our children are engaged in activities that promote the development of fine and gross motor skills, which must develop together so that children can achieve what they set out to do. These activities are also crucial to building firm foundations for mark-making and writing.

We also support our children in four Specific Areas, which are strengthened and influenced by the Prime Areas. The Specific Areas are:

• Literacy

• Mathematics

• Understanding the World

• Expressive Arts & Design

Literacy

In FS-1 and FS-2, literacy focuses on understanding and being understood. This is achieved by developing in the children the skills to interpret, create and communicate meaning through writing and reading in different media. Our children have access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems and other written materials) to ignite their interest and to encourage a love of reading. In FS-1 and FS-2, the children link letters and sounds and begin to read and write. Our reading, writing and spelling programme, Read Write Inc. (RWI), is a multifaceted approach to developing early literacy skills and complements the childinitiated learning within the environment.

Mathematics

Early mathematical understanding is acquired through repeated experiences using hands-on materials in enjoyable, meaningful contexts. In FS-1 and FS-2, we support the children in developing their own understanding of number, quantity, shape and space. We nurture the children’s natural interests through playful exploration and high-quality interactions, and we provide them with plenty of opportunities to revisit, develop and make sense of mathematical concepts for themselves in order to build a strong mathematical foundation. We place much importance on supporting the children to develop an understanding of the value of numbers and ‘number sense’ through subitising and the use of five and ten frames. Our aim is to ensure the children in EYFS work towards ‘number sense mastery’ as this will enable them to approach the concepts and ideas that emerge in Key Stages 1 and 2 with greater confidence and success.

Understanding the World

Through our Discovery units and concept-based planning, we guide our children to explore and make sense of their expanding world and their community. Children in EYFS learn through regular and direct contact with the natural, man-made and virtual environments by collaborating with others, inquiring, problem-solving and shared, sustained thinking. Our active involvement with the local community supports the children in developing responsibility and respect for diversity. Our experiential learning opportunities, including Forest and Beach School and woodwork (Carpenters’ Cabin), provide the children with first-hand involvement with the natural world, developing a sense of ecological balance, environmental care and sustainability. ‘Understanding the World’ supports learning about our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse environment and how to stay safe within it.

Expressive Arts & Design

We enable our children to explore and experiment with a wide range of media and materials; we also provide opportunities and encouragement for the children to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of experiences in art, music, drama and imaginative play. Our ateliers play an important role in facilitating opportunities for exploration and creativity. The children visit the ateliers to learn new skills as well as to experiment with different forms of media and materials. ‘Expressive Arts & Design’ fosters imagination, curiosity, creativity, cognition and critical thinking. Through engagement with the arts, our children are able to improvise, collaborate, interact and engage in shared, sustained thinking.

PHONICS IN FS-1 & FS-2

Our phonics programme is inspired by Read Write Inc. (RWI), which is a synthetic phonics programme that ensures reading, writing and spelling success. At the core of RWI is the rigorous teaching of synthetic phonics. Children learn the 44 common sounds in the English language and how to sound-blend words over a short period of time, alongside letter formation and spelling. Importantly, they then read books with words they can sound-blend so that they achieve early success in reading. The more sounds they learn, the greater the range of texts they can read. RWI starts at different points in the year, depending on the cohort and child’s stage of development. It is important to ensure that children are ready to begin the phonics programme before they commence it so that they approach it with a positive outlook on reading and writing. In FS-1, we ensure plenty of opportunities for the development of pre-phonics skills, such as listening to environmental sounds, remembering and repeating rhythms and rhymes and discriminating between sounds. These opportunities continue to be available for the children to engage with as they begin the formal phonics programme, supporting the continued development of skills relating to phonics, reading and writing.

By the end of FS-2, children at the expected level should be able to recognise and write Set 1 & Set 2 sounds:

SET ONE SOUNDS

SET TWO SOUNDS

By the end of FS-2, we aspire for the children to be able to read and know how to spell the following words:

HANDWRITING

One of the basic skills for writing is learning letter formation. It is very important that a child holds a pencil in the correct way. We encourage our children to hold a pencil in the ‘tripod’ grip, between the thumb and first two fingers, when they are ready and able to. Before children can begin to form letters, they need to build the correct muscles; therefore, plenty of opportunities for pre-writing skills are offered within our EYFS environments. Letter and number formation develop when your child is ready, and at DBIS we teach the children to form letters using precursive handwriting initially, which leads naturally to cursive writing as the children move into Key Stage 1. By the end of Key Stage 1, we aim for our children to be confidently writing in cursive handwriting, which supports stamina when writing throughout Key Stage 2.

MANDARIN

Our EYFS children attend two lessons of Mandarin each week, one of which includes Mandarin immersion in their usual classroom environment. Native speakers have an additional native speaking class each week. The end-of-year expectations for each year group can be found below:

FS-1

Native Speakers

The children can understand and follow classroom instructions and sing songs in Mandarin. They can understand and retell the rhymes and short stories they are exposed to in school. The children can recognise the characters of the numbers 1–5. By the end of FS-1, we expect the children to have a basic understanding of Chinese culture and traditional festivals and to make connections with other cultures.

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Non-native Speakers

The children can understand and follow basic instructions and are familiar with pronunciation in Mandarin. They can sing and dance to Mandarin songs and are able to count to 10. The children can understand and say words from each unit of learning, including greetings, numbers, the Chinese New Year festival, fruits and colours. They are able to express the fruits and colours they like, following verbal and non-verbal cues. By the end of FS-1, the children are expected to have an initial understanding of Chinese culture.

FS-2

Native Speakers

The children continue to develop their communication skills and enhance their pronunciation in Mandarin. They are able to memorise and sing the songs they have learnt in their lessons. The children can understand and retell the stories and poems which have been taught through their units of learning and can recognise the Chinese characters of the numbers 1–10 and some basic common characters. By the end of FS-2, the children are expected to have a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and make connections with other cultures.

Non-native Speakers

The children can understand and follow basic instructions. They are able to sing Mandarin songs and understand topic-related sentences. They can count to 20 and are able to recognise and say different words associated with each unit of learning, which include family members, animals, the Chinese New Year festival, and food and drinks. The children are also able to introduce themselves. The children can engage in simple conversations related to their name, age and class. By the end of FS-2, we expect the children to have a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

MUSIC

In EYFS, the children explore their voices and a large variety of percussion instruments through the medium of music games and simple songs. Through building confidence in using their voices, they sing a large range of songs in unison that extend their understanding of pitch, dynamics, tempo and rhythm. The children are also encouraged to use their imagination, adopting a range of different voices and movements for characters in songs. By the end of FS-2, the children are able to sing songs in unison with their class. They also have a foundational understanding of beats and rhythm as well as experience of playing untuned percussion instruments, which prepares them for future learning in Key Stage 1.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

To foster the physical development of our students, we provide opportunities for them to engage in physical activity and interactive play that improve their coordination, strength and movement. By focusing on locomotor skills such as running, jumping and skipping, we help our children develop balance and control of their bodies, which are important for their overall development, whilst reinforcing the importance of physical activity as an integral part of a healthy lifestyle.

By the end of FS-1, we aim for the children to develop confidence in the following areas:

• Running with spatial awareness and negotiating space successfully, adjusting speed or direction to avoid obstacles

• Balancing on one foot or in a squat momentarily, shifting body weight to improve stability

• Grasping and releasing with two hands to throw and catch a large ball, beanbag or object

• Climbing stairs and steps and moving across climbing equipment using alternate feet; maintaining balance using hands and body to stabilise

By the end of FS-2, we aim for the children to develop confidence in the following areas:

• Negotiating space and obstacles safely, with consideration for self and others

• Demonstrating strength, balance and coordination when playing

• Moving energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing

LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES

In FS-1 and FS-2, the children cover a range of practical and theoretical content to enhance their understanding of technology. This includes learning about appropriate device use and maintenance whilst interacting with different technologies. In FS-1, learning focuses on creating multimedia and using technology to enhance the learning experience in the classroom. The children learn to interact fluently and independently with some essential software that they will continue using in the following years. In FS-2, the children begin unpacking computational thinking and coding fundamentals. All of this is underpinned by a digital citizenship programme that guides the children towards a balanced, responsible and productive relationship with technology.

Assessment for Learning

The observation, assessment and planning cycle is an integral part of our practice in EYFS and underpins the decisions practitioners make with regard to the environment for learning, direct teaching opportunities, and interventions. We believe that assessment of the children’s learning and development is best achieved through careful observations of the children in order to understand how they are developing, learning and growing. Our teachers carefully observe each child whilst they are engaged with the environment as this helps the teachers to understand and support the children’s individual wellbeing and development. We really get to know our children as unique people with special skills, interests and ideas. Our observations inform our planning as well as the next steps for supporting the children within the setting; the more we understand about your child, the better we can support them on their personal learning journey.

The EYFS Profile

At the end of each child’s time in FS-2, a summary of their development and achievement in response to the ELGs as defined in the EYFS is produced in the format of an EYFS Profile (EYFSP). This supports the children’s transition to Key Stage 1.

In the EYFSP, your child will be given an attainment level for each of the 17 aspects of learning. Each child will be assessed as either ‘emerging’ or ‘expected’ against each ELG. The EYFSP is separated into seven areas of learning and development, which are broken down further into the 17 specific aspects of learning:

COMMUNICATION & LANGUAGE

Listening & Attention ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole-class discussions and small-group interactions;

• Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding;

• Hold conversations when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers.

Speaking ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Participate in small-group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary;

• Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction text, rhymes and poems, when appropriate;

• Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including the use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Self-Regulation ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others and begin to regulate their behaviour accordingly;

• Set and work towards simple goals, being able to wait for what they want and control their immediate impulses when appropriate;

• Give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in activity, and show an ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.

Managing Self ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Be confident to try new activities, and show independence, resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge;

• Explain the reasons for rules, know right from wrong and try to behave accordingly;

• Manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing, going to the toilet and understanding the importance of healthy food choices.

Building Relationships ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Work and play cooperatively and take turns with others;

• Form positive attachments to adults and form positive friendships with peers;

• Show sensitivity to their own and others’ needs.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Gross Motor Skills ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others;

• Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing;

• Move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing.

Fine Motor Skills ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Hold a pencil effectively in preparation for fluent writing, using the tripod grip in almost all cases;

• Use a range of small tools, including scissors, paint brushes and cutlery;

• Begin to show accuracy and care when drawing.

LITERACY

Comprehension ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary;

• Anticipate – where appropriate – key events in stories;

• Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction text, rhymes and poems, and during role play.

Word Reading ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs;

• Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending;

• Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.

Writing ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed;

• Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters;

• Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others.

MATHEMATICS

Number ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Have a deep understanding of numbers to 10, including the composition of each number;

• Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5;

• Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts.

Numerical Patterns ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system;

• Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than or the same as the other quantity;

• Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including even and odd numbers, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally.

UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD

Past & Present ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Talk about the lives of the people around them and the roles those people have in society;

• Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their own experiences and what has been read in class;

• Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and from storytelling.

People Culture & Communities ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps;

• Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their own experiences and what has been read in class;

• Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and – when appropriate – maps.

The Natural World ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants;

• Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their own experiences and what has been read in class;

• Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter.

EXPRESSIVE ARTS & DESIGN

Creating with Materials ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function;

• Share their creations, explaining the process they have used;

• Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.

Being Imaginative & Expressive ELG

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher;

• Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs;

• Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and – when appropriate – try to move in time with music.

Sharing Your Child’s Learning

We believe that parents are our children’s first teachers. Your observations and understanding of your child are extremely important in ensuring we know your child’s strengths and can successfully plan for their next steps. We will therefore continually engage with you regarding your child’s learning and development. In addition, there will be different points in the year at which we will formally meet with you or report on your child’s attainment and progress.

PARENT–TEACHER CONFERENCES

Three Parent–Teacher Conferences (PTCs) take place during the year: August , December and March

FORMAL REPORTS

One long report detailing your child’s attainment and achievement in all areas of the curriculum will be issued at the end of Term 3.

At the end of FS-2, you will also receive your child’s EYFSP, which documents their attainment according to the ELGs.

Should your child leave DBIS part way through the year, you can request an interim report which shares your child’s learning and development.

ELECTRONIC LEARNING JOURNEY (SEESAW)

Throughout your child’s time in our Primary School, we will record their learning in an electronic learning journey (Seesaw) to celebrate their experiences. As your child progresses through the Primary School, it will tell a story about your child and their learning as well as their friends and the activities they enjoyed sharing with others. In EYFS, the children’s learning is largely documented by their teacher; however as they progress into Key Stages 1 and 2, the children take greater responsibility for evidencing their learning through Seesaw.

The electronic learning journey in EYFS may include:

Photographs & Videos – These capture moments and sequences of your child’s learning, their interests and their explorations. We will write down exactly what your child says so we can capture the individual voice of your child in their learning. This also provides an accurate record of language development.

Observations – These are quick notes of significant and spontaneous moments we notice in your child’s learning.

Your Child’s Creations – These could be photos of the children’s models, their role play, marks they have made, their writing, their artwork etc., with a comment to explain what your child did or said.

The DBIS EYFS Experience

We hope that by reading this curriculum booklet, you have gained a firm understanding of what we intend to achieve for your child in terms of their learning and development throughout their time in the EYFS section of our Primary School. Our inquiry-based approach, which is grounded in research about child development, supports the development of confident, capable learners, and it provides our children with the opportunity to secure the very best outcomes of achievement and attainment at this crucial stage in their learning journey. The learning and development that happens within EYFS will have a lasting and significant impact on the children as they journey through our Primary School.

We recognise and celebrate the individuality of all our learners at DBIS and look forward to joining your child on their exciting journey as we play, learn and grow together in DBIS EYFS.

Hannah Tait Head of EYFS & Primary htait@dbis.edu.hk