Belvedere Infant School

• A wide range of learning activities that reflect the requirements of the Early Years Curriculum. These are provided under a half termly theme, such as 'Fantastic creatures' so as to engage children and encourage them to explore so building layers of knowledge.

• Learning Choices are tasks that children can complete independently, are linked to current learning or interests and are purposeful with a clear learning objective. Children are set a (rainbow) challenge to complete at least 3 learning choices a day.
• 'Learning Choices' -  have scaffolding to support children such as key questions, pictures, and resources that extend children. Prompts will show the intended outcome: “Can you…”
• Adult focus group work happens throughout the week. This will always include at least one writing and one maths adult focus each week.
  • Writing has a clear learning objective and purpose as well as reflecting a range of writing types from labels and lists to stories and fact files.
• Learning is differentiated, meaning some children are supported in the carpet session or are taken out to extend / consolidate their learning, ensuring all children are challenged and support staff are optimised.
• DFE accredited Little Wandle Letters and Sounds programme is used to teach phonics. Children are taught as part of a whole class and assessment for learning identifies children who need extra phonics intervention to keep up and close the gaps. 
• Independent Writing – children have access to writing resources so they become an integral part of their play. 
• Adults join in with play regularly, taking the opportunity to model skills within play scenarios such as modelling writing for a purpose in the role play area. Children love to copy adults and will quickly come to an activity an adult is ‘playing’ with, copying what the adult has done

• Support staff work closely alongside class teachers, observing children, leading focus groups and leading intervention groups.

We are very lucky at Belvedere Infant and Nursery School to have an amazing, newly built outside learning environment. In this area we have a large sandpit, performance area, reading hut, role play areas, water exploration area, English, Maths, Construction and Creative areas. This large space allows the children to transfer their learning and skills from the classroom, to their outside activities. 

The outdoor environment provides different experiences that the children cannot get inside. Our outdoor environment exposes children to nature, weather and real experiences of the world around them. 

This topic settles the children into school as they learn about things that have meaning to them such as pets, their family and people in school. They learn about why this makes them unique and marvellous!

This topic allows children to share what is special to them, in particular festivals or events that are special. 

The children will learn about the wonder of outer space and space travel.

The children become familiar with traditional tales including: The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man and other well known stories. 

This is a first introduction to the scientifc aspect of animals. The children will learn about different groups of animals such as jungle animals or farm animals, and why these animals belong to these groups. They will also learn about mythical creatures too. 

In this topic the children will learn about great qualities in people and what makes someone a 'hero'. It allows the children to be creative in designing their own characters.