Foundation Stage
The Foundation Stage Curriculum as the name implies this is the very foundation of a child's introduction to school and learning. As such it is a vital time for each child to develop their love of learning and their relationships with others. At Star International we strive to help the children develop a positive self-image and so help them to become successful personally and academically. We do this by creating a happy, caring and stimulating environment.
We follow the guidelines set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework used by schools in England and Wales.
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication, Language and Literacy
- Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
- Knowledge and Understanding of the World
- Physical Development
- Creative Development
We deliver this curriculum through a variety of topics using a wide range of activities. The topics are usually of six weeks duration and, where possible, are linked to all six areas. At the beginning of each new topic we send parents a brief overview of selected activities and the expected learning outcomes. This is to allow parents to support what we are doing in school. The curriculum is greatly enhanced when parents talk to their child about what they are doing in school. Any homework that the children are asked to do is usually of a practical nature until, in Foundation Two, they begin to learn Key Words and share reading books at home.
The Foundation One Curriculum
The Foundation One Curriculum is delivered through play-based activities. A love of books and stories is nurtured and the children are introduced to the characters in the Oxford Reading Tree books. They are also introduced to letter sounds. The children begin their letter making activities in Foundation One. Examples of this are 'writing' in sand and foam as well as mark-making using pencils and crayons. For their mathematical development the children follow many of the practical activities in the Abacus Maths Scheme, which includes being familiar with using numbers to 10.
The Foundation Two Curriculum
The Foundation Two Curriculum is also delivered through play-based activities which lead to the children beginning to read, write and record more formally. The children use the Oxford Reading Tree books for group sharing in school and as Home Readers. However, this only forms a small part of the children's reading programme. We use the 'Read Write Inc.' scheme to build up their phonic reading and writing. They are also introduced to reading through the topics covered.
By Foundation Two the children's pencil control is usually advanced enough to begin more formal writing. By the end of Foundation Two the children are writing their own sentences (with varying levels of support). Foundation Two also uses many of the activities from the Abacus Maths Scheme but this is supplemented and extended to suit the child's abilities.
Ongoing assessment and tracking takes place throughout the Foundation Stage to ensure that the children are successfully progressing through the six areas of learning.
Foundation Physical Education
Physical Education plays an important role in the Foundation Curriculum. The primary focus is to develop the childrens' core physical skills such as balance, coordination, strength and flexibility. This is achieved through compulsory participation in a number of different activities like Team Games, Gymnastics, Dance and Swimming, establishing within the children an enjoyment and understanding of Physical Activity.
