Prime Areas of Learning

Personal, Social and Emotional

Self Regulation

• Show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others, and begin to regulate their behaviour accordingly
• Set and work towards simple goals, being able to wait for what they want and control their immediate impulses when appropriate
• Give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in activity, and show an ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions

Managing self    

• Be confident to try new activities and show independence, resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge
• Explain the reasons for rules, know right from wrong and try to behave accordingly
• Manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing, going to the toilet and understanding the importance of healthy food choices

Building Relationships

• Work and play cooperatively and take turns with others
• Form positive attachments to adults and friendships with peers
• Show sensitivity to their own and to others’ needs

Communication and Language

Listening and Attention

• Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions
• Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding
• Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers

Speaking

• Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary
• Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate
• Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher

Physical Development

Gross Motor

• Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others
• Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing
• Move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing

Fine Motor

• Hold a pencil effectively in preparation for fluent writing - using the tripod grip in almost all cases
• Use a range of small tools, including scissors, paint brushes and cutlery
• Begin to show accuracy and care when drawing

Specific Areas of Learning

Literacy

Comprehension

• Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary
• Anticipate – where appropriate – key events in stories
• Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role-play

Word reading

• Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs
• Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending
• Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words

Writing

• Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed
• Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters
• Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others

Mathematics

Number

• Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number
• Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5
• Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts

Numerical Patterns

• Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system
• Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than or the same as the other quantity
• Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally

Understanding the World

Past and Present

• Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society
• Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class
• Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.

People, Culture and Communities

• Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps
• Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class
• Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and – when appropriate – maps

The Natural World

• Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants
• Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class
• Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter

Expressive Arts and Design

Creating with Materials

• Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function
• Share their creations, explaining the process they have used
• Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories. 

Being Imaginative and Expressive

• Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher
• Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs
• Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and – when appropriate – try to move in time with music

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Playing and Exploring

Finding out and exploring

This is concerned with the child’s open-ended hands-on experiences, which result from innate curiosity. These experiences provide raw sensory material from which the child builds concepts, tests ideas and finds out.

Using what they know in their play

This describes how children use play to bring together their current understandings, combining, refining and exploring their ideas in imaginative ways. Representing experiences through imaginative play supports the development of narrative thought, the ability to see from other perspectives, and symbolic thinking. 

Being willing to have a go - refers to the child:

• Finding an interest
• Initiating activities
• Seeking challenge
• Showing a ‘can do’ attitude
• Being willing to take a risk in new experiences
• Developing the view that failures are opportunities ot learn

Active Learning

Being involved and concentrating

This describes the intensity of attention that arises from children engaged in following a line of interest in their activities.

Keeping on trying

This refers to:

• the importance of persistence even in the face of challenge or difficulties
• an element of purposeful control which supports resilience

Enjoying achieving what they set out to do

This builds on the intrinsic motivation that supports long-term success. It refers to the reward of meeting one’s own goals, rather than relying on the approval of others.

Creating and Thinking Critically

Having their own ideas

This covers the critical area of creativity – generating new ideas and approaches in all areas of endeavour. Being inventive allows children to find new problems as they seek challenge, and to explore ways of solving these.

Using what they already know to learn new things

This refers to the way children use narrative and scientific modes of thought to:

• develop and link concepts
• find meaning in sequence, cause and effect
• find meaning in the intentions of others

‘Choosing ways to do things and finding new ways

This involves children:

• approaching goal-directed activity in organised ways
• making choices and decisions about how to approach tasks
• planning and monitoring what to do and being able to change strategies