Themes: Autumn Term (half 1)

Topics

At Pre-school the children participate in topic work and other activities all of which link to “Early Learning Goals”. Each half term I will explain how our Topics support and link in to the Early Learning Goals. You will also notice that we reference ELGs in our Tapestry notes.

As a separate attachment in this email you can learn more about each of the ELGs and the Early Years Foundation Stage. More information about ELGs and our topic planning is also available on the large blue noticeboard in the front hall, or on the information cards that are displayed every day with each activity.

This half term’s topic: All About Me

PSED will be our focussed Early Learning Goal for the first half term as we get to know the children and they get to know us and each other. The new children will soon discover how to become part of a team, how to make friends and find out which activities they enjoy participating in. Our established ‘Preschoolers’ will enjoy helping the new children to feel welcome and they will no doubt feel very grown up as they show the younger group what to do during the sessions.

The Early Learning Goals that this topic supports are:

PSED – Personal, Social and Emotional Development – Making relationships.
Interested in others’ play and starting to join in.
Seeks out others to share experiences.
Demonstrates friendly behaviour, initiating conversations and forming good relationships with peers and familiar adults.

PSED – Personal, Social and Emotional Development – Self-confidence and Self-Awareness.
Separates from main carer with support and encouragement from a familiar adult.
Expresses own preferences and interests.
Can select and use activities and resources with help.
Welcomes and values praise for what they have done.
Enjoys responsibility of carrying out small tasks

C&L – Communication and Language – Listening and attention.
Listens to others one to one or in small groups, when conversation interests them. Listens to stories with increasing attention and recall.
Joins in with repeated refrains and anticipates key events and phrases in rhymes and stories.
Focusing attention – still listen or do, but can shift own attention.

C&L – Communication and Language – Understanding.
Understands more complex sentences.
Understands ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’ in simple questions.
Developing understanding of simple concepts (e.g. big/little).

**Don’t forget that detailed planning is displayed daily on the
noticeboards in the front hall.**

I have also attached a copy of ‘What to Expect When’ which is an extremely useful DfE document which may answer some of your questions about age/development bands, particularly as we use these in our Tapestry observations. Please do come and see me if you would like to ask anything about the document.

We also have a summarised version of Development Matters EYFS adapted for parents available every day. Please ask Emma, our Pre-school assistant if you would like to look at it.