The Primary and EYFS Curriculum at The Dales School North Yorkshire

At The Dales School the EYFS-Primary department implement a creative curriculum model.  The curriculum is bespoke and has been specifically designed for our pupils and school and is based upon elements of the Creative Curriculum [R.Wilson ‘09], Equals Primary Units, The Early Years Foundation Stage, and the new Primary Curriculum [DFE ‘13/14].  The fundamental principles are: a child centred and child led approach to learning that caters for all learning styles; a thematic, cross curricular and flexible approach to curriculum planning; developmental and sensory curriculum foundations; EYFS enquiry and play based structure to the school day.  The underpinning of all work is MAPP and MAPP personal learning intentions [Primary] or EYFS prime/specific areas of learning to observe personal learning intentions.  In the primary curriculum subjects are grouped into areas for curriculum planning and delivery- Humanities includes RE, Geography and History.  There is also a ‘Suitcase for Life’ planning area that is for curriculum enrichment; in this section are childhood life experiences.

The curriculum principles and ethos is supported by a wide range of classroom areas both inside and outside and a range of resources that support learning.  Learning also takes place off-site with Forest School and physical/sport activities i.e. RDA.

Thorough and robust assessment systems record and track individual learning and progress.  In EYFS there is a distinct EYFS baseline and tracking document that records pupils’ progress throughout their EYFS years.  This is supported by ongoing long and short observations and learning journey documents that evidence progress through annotated still and moving photographic records.  Once pupils are in KS1 they transfer to the MAPP assessment system that continues to use observation for ongoing assessment and the MAPP CSD for summative assessment.  The pupils are also levelled annually using P level best fit descriptors.

Below is a full example of the planning for ‘Colour My World’ if you click on the highlighted part you can see that document:

The documents to support the above are our Long Term Planning for Termly Theme Titles and Focus.  This is broken down into three Long Term Planning Matrixes (A,B & C).  An example of how this is further detailed can be seen in EYFS/Primary Thematic Curriculum Links ‘Colour My World’.  This document is then used to plan for the individual Medium Term Plan for each curriculum area such as the example for EYFS ‘Understanding of the World’, and for Primary ‘Humanities’.  In addition the EYFS/Primary groups have weekly Play Provision relating to their planning. EYFS/Primary Numeracy/Literacy Weekly Planning is also related to ‘Colour My World’.

If you would like to know more about assessment please see ’Assessment’ in the Parent’s A-Z guide.