In the Reception Class we continue to follow the EYFS framework that the children have been working within at their preschools and nurseries. The framework acknowledges that each child is unique and with positive relationships with each other and staff and an exciting and enabling environment the children will develop and learn. The staff support the children in their exploration, their active learning and their critical and creative thinking as this encourages the children to remain motivated and effective in their learning across all the 7 areas of the framework.

These areas are divided into the PRIME areas of Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language and Physical Development and the SPECIFIC areas of Mathematics, Literacy, Understanding the World and Expressive Art and Design. The staff observe and work alongside the children during their Child Initiated Time to develop their ideas and support their discoveries. They use the information they gather to plan Teacher Directed Times when the children will learn a skill, develop their knowledge and understanding and scaffold their learning with each other.

At Hawkhurst we plan themes and topics with the children and value their input. We discuss what they already know about the topic, for example, dinosaurs and then discuss with them what they would like to find out. This forms the basis of their learning and we teach the skills and knowledge they need to develop holistically. At the end of the reception year we want the children to have developed the skills, knowledge, independence and motivation to continue their learning as they move onto the National Curriculum and into Year 1.