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Silverwood Early Years and Foundation Stage (EYFS) has a shared identity across our campuses providing a specialist and nurturing approach. It is the foundation on which children build the rest of their education, where they are enabled to feel secure, happy and ready to learn.
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Strong partnerships with families are important. Our journey begins with visiting children in their preschool settings, home visits and a range of carefully planned stay and play sessions at Silverwood; we build trusting and collaborative relationships from the start.
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At Silverwood EYFS, every day is an adventure. Our inspiring environment and curriculum encourage learning through purposeful play, exploration, and meaningful social interactions. In EYFS, children are learning how to learn and to develop the confidence, curiosity and ambition to achieve their potential. Practitioners skilled in the EYFS pedagogy celebrate every step of the learning journey and build on each child’s unique strengths, talents and interests.
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With exciting resources, including inspiring outdoor spaces, we provide opportunities for child-initiated adventure, creativity, and discovery. Silverwood EYFS equips children with the values, confidence, and foundational skills they need to thrive as they transition through Silverwood School, ready to build on the exceptional learning that begins here in EYFS.
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum
At Silverwood School we believe that all children have the right to access an inclusive early year’s curriculum where they are placed with their peers and learn in an active learning environment. Children are supported to develop characteristics of effective learning and become life-long learners.
We endeavour to ensure that all children leave our early years classes with a developing method of communication, a range of self-help skills, a variety of interests and the ability to self-occupy in a meaningful and productive way.
We value all the experiences and learning that have taken place prior to starting at Silverwood. We use a range of strategies to ensure we gather as much information as possible in order to fully understand each child’s unique starting point.
At Silverwood we recognise the key areas of development that are linked and contribute to the sum of a student’s cultural capital. There is a high level of focus on the Prime Areas of Learning whilst ensuring our curriculum provides breadth and balance across all seven areas of learning identified in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. We ensure there is a suitable balance between adult directed activities and child led learning throughout the day. Children in year R and 1 are supported by Early Years specialists who are skilled in extending learning during daily free flow sessions. We offer children a range of motivating and stimulating activities to explore and engage with, which promote choice making and independent exploratory play skills. Each classroom has different areas of learning including a book area, art area, sensory play, home area, small world and outside space.
Our EYFS curriculum is based on a set of core quality texts that form the basis of our teaching. All children will be taught pre-phonic and phonics skills and we support children to develop a love for books. Each class participates in weekly book share. Attention Autism principles are used throughout the classes and children are supported to develop their attention and concentration skills.
At Silverwood, we adopt a holistic approach and work to support children and families in all areas of their learning. We follow toilet training plans for all children and work with families with areas such as widening restricted diets. We work in partnership with families and invite parents in as often as possible for sessions such as Singing and Stay and Play.
Characteristics Of Effective Learning
Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning are an important part of the Early Years pedagogy. At Silverwood School, we prioritise individual needs, foster the engagement, motivation, and persistence of pupils through supportive environments, varied and interactive activities.
Transition Into Early Years
Open information sessions at Silverwood School (3 x per year)
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Pupils issued with EHCP (Education Health Care Plan)
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Consultation of school placements
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School place offered
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TISMs (Transition into School Meetings) (Term 5)
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Visits to existing settings (Term 6)
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New starter session – Information sessions, including other professionals (for example Learning Disability Team, Wiltshire Parent and Carer Council), support with information sharing paperwork. (Term 6)
Stay and Play sessions (Term 6)
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Home visits and outreach work (Beginning of Term 1)
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Stay and Play sessions/Phased Inductions (Beginning of Term 1)
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Planning meetings with Speech and Language Therapist and other Professionals (Term 1)
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Annual Reviews of EHCP (By end of Term 2)
An Typical Day in EYFS
At Silverwood School we deliver the Prime and Specific areas of the Early Curriculum; Communication & Language, Personal, Social & Emotional Development, Physical Development, Literacy, Maths, Understanding of the World and Expressive Arts & Design. These are taught in a cross curricular and with a multisensory approach throughout the day.
A Day In The Life Of An EYFS Class At Silverwood…
Within the Early Years long term plans, you will see the overview of your child’s learning throughout the year. At the end of each term, families are invited into school to share and celebrate in their children’s learning and achievements within the Early Years environment.