34 EYFS

Abbey Hulton Primary School

• Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI)

The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) is an evidence-based oral language intervention for children in Nursery and Reception who show weakness in their oral language skills and who are therefore at risk of experiencing difficulty with reading. The intervention was developed by a team from the University of York, who subsequently carried out a randomised control trial in 15 schools and feeder-nurseries across Yorkshire.

After 30 weeks, the children who had received the intervention had improved expressive language skills, including the use of vocabulary and grammar. Their letter-sound knowledge and spelling also improved, indicating the foundations of phonics were in place.

The programme has been successfully delivered at Abbey Hulton for several years. All children are screened using the LA “Early Communication Screen” and are then grouped for the intervention. The Nuffield Intervention is delivered over 10 weeks in Nursery, enabling one group per term to access the intervention. It is delivered over 20 weeks in Reception. friendly and stimulating indoor and outdoor areas. Our Outdoor area is shared across all the foundation stage classes so that all FS children can learn together. Routines are established so that children begin to anticipate and feel confident to take the next step in their education. Continuous provision allows children to learn through play, practising and consolidating skills and knowledge taught during whole class and small group work. Children have the confidence to explore and are challenged to be active learners and to take control of their own learning.

EYFS

The programme is delivered to small groups by an experienced Senior Early Years Practitioner who has been fully trained in the Nuffield Programme.

Etruscan Primary School

• Continuous Provision

We currently provide a 2-year rolling program of topics throughout the Nursery and Reception classes and parents are encouraged to support their children with their learning. We aim to incorporate the children’s interests and ideas within the planning to provide personalised learning experiences.

We value our parent partnership with an open-door policy and a clearly set out induction procedure which has the needs of the child at its heart. We have agreed staff/child ratios which ensure that the needs of each child are met both academically and emotionally, helping to develop each child’s confidence and independence. We provide a rich variety of experiences that consider the ‘whole child’, celebrating early childhood development as a unique stage of learning. We have welcoming, child

Forest Park Primary School

The quote ‘play is the highest form of research’ by Albert Einstein, underpins our Early Years ethos at Forest Park. Wellplanned and purposeful learning experiences are provided daily, encouraging our young children to learn effectively through play. Learning takes place in our fabulous provision areas both inside and outside of the classroom, where children are encouraged to drive their own learning forward through our ‘planning in the moment’ approach. Wellplanned play is crucial to children’s learning in the Early Years and in this way, learning can be both challenging and fun!

Forest Park children follow the Read Write Inc. scheme to support early reading and writing and we work hard to foster a love of reading in our Foundation Stage through quality story times and stimulating and exciting reading areas. We aim to provide children with firm mathematical foundations through interactive and practical activities both inside and outside of the classroom. Our children interact with quality resources through our continuous provision, which encourages them to make independent choices and celebrates child initiated learning.

We believe that happy children will become willing and able learners and we therefore place significant importance on the wellbeing and emotional growth of our children. We also work hard to develop our children’s early language skills, providing a range of activities to support speech and language along with broadening our children’s vocabulary. Our children are constantly encountering new experiences, which they try to make sense of and understand. As they do so, they ask questions and develop their skills and confidence, building on what they already know, along with developing their communication skills. We celebrate similarities and differences between ourselves and others, learning about what makes us special and unique. We develop our sense of identity as individuals and within our friendships and we work hard to create a sense of belonging and community. Above all, the Foundation Stage is about our children having fun, playing and learning together as they develop their relationships, confidence and self-esteem.

EYFS

Oakhill Primary School

• Talk Boost in EYFS

Children in Nursery and Reception are screened for appropriate language development on entry. Children who are not working at the expected level for their age are selected to receive Early Talk Boost (Nursery) or Talk Boost (Reception) interventions. These small groups work on a range of strategies with a qualified and fully trained member of staff to improve their speech and language levels, and this has proved successful.

• S&L in EYFS

Children in our EYFS unit receive specialist input from trained staff to work on their specific next steps, as identified by Sp&L therapists.

Our staff are highly knowledgeable in these programmes and tailor them appropriately in liaison with outside agencies. This has reduced the need for some children to attend out-of-school appointments and decreased the risk of children being discharged through non-attendance.

• Continuous Provision

Our EYFS unit is set up into defined areas with resources and apparatus continuously available for children, in the same place each day. This allows children the opportunity to follow their own interests, rehearse, practise and apply skills, and test and apply their knowledge. Continuous provision provides a wide variety of learning opportunities in each area, which is enhanced through additional resources or provocations, that reflect the children’s interest, motivations, next steps or link to current themes of learning.