Key stages Age Year groups
K/S 1 5-7 YRS 1-2
K/S 2 8-11 YRS 3-6
K/S 3 11-14 YRS 7-9
K/S 4 14-16 YRS 10-11
At the end of each key stage there are a number of tests known as standard attainment task (S.A.T’s).
“The SAT results will then give truer portrayal of a child’s progress during his time at school, taking into account those children who may not have received any pre-school education whatsoever.”
(pg 402 Diploma child care and education)
The purpose of these tests is to monitor each individual child’s performance as they program through school. The curriculum subjects are:
- English
- Math’s
- Science
- Art and Design
- History
- R.E
- Music
- Computers
- Technology and Design
- Geography
These subjects are basics of the tests at the end of the year. They link into different things like English-writing, reading, listening and speaking. Schools don’t have to use these titles for subjects and some subjects can also be taught together under one name, as long as the curriculum is covered.
For pre-school curriculum it’s called the enrich curriculum. It’s set for pre-school. It is also called the foundation stage this is offered to children from 3 years and upwards, until the child begins the national curriculum.
”foundation stage will last until the end of the reception year and will ensure continuity for children as they move from their early years setting into primary school”
(pg 432 Diploma childcare and education)
The foundation stage is set to give them the basis learning for the future learning by supporting, fostering, promoting and developing children. Pre-school teachers use the enrich curriculum to arrange different themes and ideas. The pre-school class is the first step in implementing and fulfilling the goals of the curriculum. When doing this curriculum it should provide opportunities for each child to be come a valued member of that group or community so that a strong self-image and self esteem is promoted. Preschool education activities and early childhood education lesson plans that give preschool children choices. Parents can help there child. By taking an interest in their work, what there learning and encouraging them and praise then on that they are doing. By doing the curriculum there are many skills that the children learn like:
- Social skills
- Physical Development
- Creative Development
- Language and communication skills
- Reading and writing
- Mathematics
- Learning the world around them(environment)
- Personal social and emotional well-being.
Task 2: Explain how each placement setting provides learning opportunities for children in each age group across all curriculum areas.
In my nursery setting (age group 3-4 years old) the layout explains all the opportunities for children in each area of the curriculum. As you walk in to the setting the first tables you see are puzzle, jigsaws which are concepts of math’s, beside that table are all the messy things like art and craft and sand and water trays. Also in my setting there are writing and reading area. In the writing area it let the children experiment in writing and by the children doing so it develops their fine motor skills. In the reading area it’s quiet for the teacher or assistant to read them a story. This helps the children learning listen skills. By the home corner it learns them about the environment around them. Give them life experiences in different areas. The home corner gets changed when we do a different theme. At the minute in my setting it fairy tales so in the home corner there are things like porridge to do with the three little bears, dark carpets for the cottage affect, a caldron for the wicket witch. Also as the theme is fairy tales in the dressing up area there are clothes for the children to put on and pretend to be them like sleeping beauty, Cinderella, peter pan, cowboy, witch etc.
Also when the children first come into the setting they get symbols to represent them and their things like their toothbrush, coat hanger and just general things. By getting the symbols it learns them about there name for example when drawing a picture there is wee draws that have there symbols on front but there names inside for then to stick on their picture or project they are doing. Out side play they learn about different things last week we showed them about road safety we but signs like stop, slow down, stop children etc. we draw out a road on the ground with chalk and put the signs in there place also across the road we put in a pedestrian crossing mat with the lollipop persons sign were children can take turns in doing that role. It teached the children about the signs and the role of the lollipop person in keeping safe on the roads.
In my primary setting you see the curriculum more clearly as its formal learning. In the morning in my setting its play first were they learning many things. Also in the morning before the main subjects during play they do arts and crafts in turns to do with the theme. After this it’s their many subjects they learn like maths, English and science etc. But it depends on the theme they are doing. At the minute the theme in the primary setting was old school/new school (which is history). Its things from the present and how it’s different to things now.
Bibliography
Beave M et al
Babies and young children book 2 early years care education
Stanley thornes 1999
Tassoni P Et al
Diploma child care and education
Heinemann 2000
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