Lower Foundation Stage (Nursery) Project Overview
Our Intent - what we want our curriculum to achieve
At North Featherstone J & I School, we want every child to be motivated to be the very best learner they can be. This means inspiring them with new and varied experiences every half-term. We want children to have age-appropriate knowledge and the skills to access the curriculum. Early reading, writing and number are essential for children in the Lower and Upper Foundation stages. As children progresses from Year 1 to Year 6, it is essential that children are able to access the curriculum with age expected skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Our curriculum is based on our four-stage philosophy: Engage, Develop, Innovate and Express.
Projects
Over a term children will have a memorable experience, the opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills, a week to demonstrate how they can use and apply the knowledge and skills they have been taught and an opportunity to express what they have learned to a range of audiences. This process forms the four-stage philosophy of Engage, Develop, Innovate and Express.
The four stages:
- Engage - Implementing the curriculum
- Develop - Implementing the curriculum
- Innovate - Evaluating the impact of the curriculum
- Express- Evaluating the impact of the curriculum
Engage – In this part of the curriculum children will engage in purposeful and contextualised learning experiences; in and outside the classroom. This may include visits out of school and visitors into school including bringing a pet to school, a real farm visiting school and also a mum with her new baby.
Develop – In the following weeks children develop knowledge, understanding and subject skills required to progress their learning through focussed learning tasks and experiences. Here we will record our work in a variety of ways through art work, mark making, dance, music or construction.
Innovate – Children are given the opportunity to innovate by applying their knowledge and skills and understanding through a challenging provocation using their own and negotiated ideas. The innovate aspect of each topic is included in the topic title box on the previous page.
Express – Children express and evaluate their knowledge, understanding and skills, as outcomes of the learning in different memorable forms. Examples of activities we may do here are sing songs, make music and dance and use a variety of materials, tools and techniques.
Cycle 1
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Autumn 1 and 2
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Why do you love me so much? |
What is special about me? How do we show that we care? Explore these questions and more in the project about love, families, friends, and how people are the same and different.
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Spring 1 and 2
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Why can’t I have chocolate for breakfast? |
Why can’t I have chocolate for breakfast? Which food types are healthy? Explore these questions and more in this project about food, mealtimes and nutrition.
This project has a personal, social and emotional focus and a mathematics focus.
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Summer 1 and 2
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How many pebbles on the beach? |
How many pebbles on the beach? Which creatures live by the sea? Explore these questions and more in this project about the seashore.
This project has a knowledge of the world focus.
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Cycle 2
| Autumn 1 and 2 |
Why do you love me so much? |
What is special about me? How do we show that we care? Explore these questions and more in this project about love, families, friends and how people are the same and different.
This project has a people and communities focus and a personal, social and emotional focus. |
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Spring 1 and 2
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Can I have a dog? |
Can I have a dog? How do I look after it? Explore these questions and more in this project about pets and how to care for them.
This project has a communication and language focus.
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Summer 1 and 2
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How many colours in a rainbow? |
How many colours in a rainbow? What happens when you mix red and blue? Explore these questions and more in this project about colours in the natural and man-made world.
This project has an art and design focus.
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These projects also cover many areas of learning, in the EYFS curriculum.