Literacy Curriculum

Hungerford Nursery School Centre for Children and Families

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Literacy 

The EYFS 2021 states that the educational programmes must involve activities and experiences for children as set out under the area of learning:

"It is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together. Skilled word reading, taught later, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing)."

Intent of Literacy Curriculum

We aim to encourage children to develop essential skills in listening, talking, reading and writing for learning, life and pleasure. We want them clearly to recount experiences and stories, including innovating stories. We wish to foster a love of reading through providing a rich environment which stimulates and encourages children’s reading. Our intention is to build an understanding of how language works and is used to communicate ideas and information. We want to explore how different media can be used for learning and communication. Our purpose is to motivate children to write by being curious and making marks that have meaning.  Our ambition is that children are introduced to new vocabulary that can then be used.

Implementation of Literacy Curriculum

• We provide exciting, active learning environments that build strong foundations for the development of literacy skills
• We provide a range of stimulating resources and shape the learning environment to enhance real life opportunities for developing skills in communication, language and literacy
• Staff/child interaction extends children’s learning and enhances sustained shared thinking
• In every area of the nursery, throughout the day staff use a range of questions such as open-ended to encourage children to share their ideas, explain their thinking, describe things around them and make reasoned evaluations
• Our staff plan for and respond to the child’s individual next steps in relation to literacy and other areas of the curriculum in the moment and also as part of their weekly plans
• Staff ensure there are appropriate resources at all times to challenge, stimulate, and keep children motivated
• Carefully selected appropriate resources in relation to literacy ensuring that we have a wide selection of books. The selection of books will include fiction, non-fiction, recipes,  poetry etc
• Encouraging parents to join the Imagination Library to gain access to monthly books that are delivered to the home
• Encourage children to follow recipes in their cooking experiences
• Ensure that there are opportunities for writing for a range of purposes in a wide range of areas
• Encouraging children to use the resource cards for letters and sounds
• We offer a large range of writing materials in which children have the freedom of choice. This will include resources such as pens, pencils, crayons, chalk, chalkboards, clipboards etc
• We provide letter/name recognition opportunities
• We ensure that there are examples of environmental print within the environment.
• We encourage parental involvement in all that we offer. For example, World Nursery rhyme Week challenges, World Book Day. Children take books home on a regular basis
• We use write dance to teach basic handwriting movements
• We target and support children who have the greatest need during the session

Phonics

• The teaching of phonics is an integral part of the curriculum in the EYFS. We use Letters and Sounds as the basis for our teaching of phonics. Through Letters and Sounds, the children are guided through Phase One in preparation for their skills to be taken on further as they enter their Reception year. We use a range of multisensory strategies to enthuse and engage the children in their understanding of phonics, including the use of speaking and listening, songs, rhymes and practical games and activities.
• We offer parent workshops and materials on our website for parents and children to understand and practice skills