BedlingtonStation PrimarySchool

CHIEF INSPECTOR

ANITA CASE

EYFS Spring Term

CONTEXT

Well, well, what do we have here? I’m Chief Inspector Anita Case — expert problem-solver, mystery-buster, and full-time question-asker! I’m always on the lookout for curious minds to help me crack tricky cases and uncover hidden clues. I use my eyes to spot the smallest details, my ears to listen closely, and my brain to piece the puzzle together. I’ll be visiting you with clues to follow, questions to explore, and mysteries just waiting to be solved. Are you ready to look closely, think carefully, and help me find the answers? Let the case begin!

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Playing and Exploring(Children investigate and experience things and 'have a go')

Clue hunt exploring – Search the room for hidden objects, signs, or patterns using magnifying glasses.

Mystery object guessing – Handle and describe secret items in a feely bag to guess what they might be.

Fingerprint investigation – Use ink pads or powder to make and examine fingerprints, looking for differences and matches.

Active Learning(Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements)

Puzzle piece hunt – Stay focused to find and fit together parts of a tricky jigsaw or image clue.

Code cracker quest – Hunt for the numbers, letters, or shapes that match to unlock a ‘case file’.

Follow the trail – Stay on task to complete a sequence of clues to find hidden objects around the space.

Creating and Thinking Critically(Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing this.)

What happened here?  – Use pictures or props to piece together a story or sequence of events.

Design a trap or tool – Think of clever ways to catch a sneaky suspect or retrieve a hidden clue.

Make a detective plan – Draw or act out your steps to solve a problem — what will you look for, and where?

Tier 2 Core Vocabulary

BROADENING EXPERIENCE

Nursery

Watch – To look at closely.

Soft – Gentle to touch, not hard.

Move – To go from one place to another.

Look – To use your eyes to see.

Touch – To feel with your hands.

Light – Bright, not dark or heavy.

Dark – With little or no light.

High – Up in the sky or above something.

Low – Near the ground or under something.

Hide – To put something where it can’t be seen.

Reception

Investigate – To look closely and find out what’s happening.

Transform – To change into something new.

Fragile – Very easy to break or damage.

Balance – To stay steady without falling.

Measure – To see how big, long, or heavy something is.

Observe – To watch carefully and notice details.

Develop – To grow or get better over time.

Magnify – To make something look bigger so we can see more.

Curiosity – Wanting to learn or know about things.

Discover – To find something new or surprising.

Chinese New Year

Safer Internet Day

Pancake Day

British Science Week

Holi

Police Officer visit

 

 

OUTDOOR

Colour

Pathways & Trails

WOW! Wonder Launch

When Chief Inspector Anita Case visits in January, she brings her trusty detective bag filled with exciting objects to help the children investigate the wonders of winter. Her bag is packed with curious things to look at, listen to, touch and explore — all linked to the chilly season. There are clues to uncover, trails to follow, and mysteries to solve using careful looking, listening, and lots of clever thinking. With everything they need to become real-life investigators, the children will work alongside Anita to discover more about the world around them in wintertime. Her visit turns the classroom into a mini detective headquarters, full of hands-on fun, curiosity and seasonal discovery!

Jigsaw PSHE
'Dreams & Goals' (2A)
We will be learning about; Challenges, Perseverance, Goal-setting, Overcoming obstacles, Seeking help, Jobs, Achieving goals.

'Healthy Me' (2B)

We will be learning about; Exercising bodies, Physical activity, Healthy food, Sleep, Keeping clean, Safety

Oracy Development Opportunities

FOCUS RHYMES

Five Little Men in a Flying SaucerThis Little PiggyHumpty Dumpty

Songs and rhymes about colours

Songs and rhymes from other cultures

Once I caught a fishRow Row Row Your BoatGrand Old Duke

TALK for WRITING

NURSERY 2A

Poetry (Talk for Writing)

Focus nursery rhymes:

Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer
Humpty Dumpty

 

Non-fiction:

Instructions Text: how to make soup

 

Reading Spine Books

Fiction - Focus Class Reader

The Enormous Turnip

Simple traditional tale with plenty of repetition. Can be linked with other ‘food’ traditional tales or helping each other and can be adapted for any culturally relevant food. Fits well with recount of usual cooking activities in Nursery.

Additional Texts

You Choose - Pippa Goodhart & Nick Sharratt

Jasper's Beanstalk - Nick Butterworth & Mick Inkpen

NURSERY 2B

Poetry (Talk for Writing)

Focus nursery rhymes:

Once I caught a fishRow Row Row Your Boat

 

Non-fiction:

Information Text: Invitation

 

Reading Spine Books

Fiction - Focus Class Reader

We’re going on a bear hunt: Michael Rosen

Bears are a winner every time and so is Michal Rosen!So many other incidental writing forms arise from role play e.g. signs for the bear’s cave, lists of items to take etc

Additional Texts

Brown Bear, Brown Bear - Eric Carle

Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell

RECEPTION 2A

Fiction

The Great Race - Emily Hiles

Simple traditional Chinese tale with plenty of rhyme. .

Non-fiction:

Information Text: report on animal

Reading Spine

Goldy Luck at the three pandas - Natasha Yim

Goodnight Moon - Margaret Wise Brown

RECEPTION 2B

Fiction

The Gruffalo/The Guffalo's Child - Julia Donaldson

(Simplified Version)

 

Non-fiction:

Information Text: healthy leaflet

Reading Spine

The Dot - Peter H. Reynolds

Mrs Armitage on Wheels - Quentin Blake

COMMUNICATION & LANGUAGE

DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

CORE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

EXPLORATION STARTERS

3 & 4 Year Olds

Across EYFS

Know many rhymes, talk about familiar books, and tell a long story.

Enjoy listening to longer stories and can remember much of what happens.

Use longer sentences of four to six words.

Understand a question or instruction that has two parts.

Sing a large repertoire of songs.

Can you tell me a long story?Children retell stories using familiar language and actions.

Can you say a long sentence?Children speak in longer, more complex sentences.

Can you follow both parts of this instruction?Children speak in longer, more complex sentences.

What happened in the story?Children can recall key events or characters from a story they’ve heard.

Can you sing lots of different songs?Children remember and join in with a wide range of songs.

Chief Ins visits

Asking Seraphina questions

Showing Seraphina around

Singing new songs

 

 

New Non-fiction books:

Autumn

Winter

Christmas

 

Reception

Listen to and talk about stories.

Engage in storytimes.

Connect one idea or action to another using connectives.

Develop social phrases.

Use talk to help work out problems and organise thinking.

Learn rhymes, poems and songs.

Can you talk about the story?Children discuss characters, settings, and key events.

Can you join your ideas with ‘and’ or ‘because’?Children link thoughts using connectives.

Can you join in with the story?Children listen with focus and comment on what they hear.

What do we say when we join a game?Children use phrases like ‘Can I play too?’

Can you say what you need to do?Children talk aloud to solve problems or explain processes.

Can you sing a poem or rhyme?Children perform songs or poems from memory.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL

DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

CORE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

EXPLORATION STARTERS

3 & 4 Year Olds

Across EYFS

Play with one or more other children, extending and elaborating play ideas.

Find solutions to conflicts and rivalries.

Can you make up a game with friends?Children join and extend group play with imagination.

What can you do if someone wants the same toy?Children suggest fair ways to solve simple disagreements.

Chief Ins visits

Asking Seraphina questions

Showing Seraphina around

Singing new songs

New Non-fiction books:

Autumn

Winter

Christmas

 

Reception

Express their feelings and consider the feelings of others.

Show resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge.

Can you say how you feel and check how others feel?Children talk about emotions and respond to others’ feelings.

Can you keep going when it gets tricky?Children try again when tasks are difficult.

PHYSICAL

DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

CORE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

EXPLORATION STARTERS

3 & 4 Year Olds

Across EYFS

Choose the right resources to carry out their own plan.

Increasingly be able to use and remember sequences and patterns of movements.

Start taking part in some group activities which they make up for themselves, or in teams.

What tool do you need for your job?Children select appropriate resources for tasks.

Can you copy a dance or movement?Children repeat simple movement patterns to music.

Can you play a game you made up?Children invent and take part in simple group games.

Chief Ins visits

Asking Seraphina questions

Showing Seraphina around

Singing new songs

 

 

Reception

Develop their small motor skills so that they can use a range of tools competently.

Combine different movements with ease and fluency.

Can you say how you feel and check how others feel?Children talk about emotions and respond to others' feelings.

Can you move and stop quickly?Children switch between movements smoothly.

LITERACY

DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

CORE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

EXPLORATION STARTERS

3 & 4 Year Olds

Across EYFS

Engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary.

Use some of their print and letter knowledge in their early writing.

What new word did you learn from the story?Children join in story discussions and learn new words.

Can you write a list or a label?Children use letter-like shapes or letters to represent meaning.

Chief Ins visits

Asking Seraphina questions

Showing Seraphina around

Singing new songs

 

 

Reception

Read a few common exception words.

Read simple phrases and sentences.

Re-read books to build fluency and understanding.

Can you read this tricky word?Children read high-frequency words not decoded phonetically.

Can you read this sentence to me?Children read short sentences with known sounds.

Can you read your book again?Children gain confidence and fluency through repeated reading.

MATHEMATICS

DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

CORE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

EXPLORATION STARTERS

Be able to express a point of view and to debate when they disagree with an adult or a friend, using words as well as actions.

Start a conversation with an adult or a friend and continue it for many turns.

 

Be able to express a point of view and to debate when they disagree with an adult or a friend, using words as well as actions.

Start a conversation with an adult or a friend and continue it for many turns.

 

Content:

Conversations with Nana.

Responding to messages from Nana

Circle Times

 

Asking Nana questions, Conversing with a friend.

UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD

DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

CORE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

EXPLORATION STARTERS

3 & 4 Year Olds

Across EYFS

Explore and talk about different forces they can feel.

Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they have experienced or seen in photos.

Can you feel the push or pull?Children describe and demonstrate physical experiences of force.

What can you see in this place?Children discuss differences seen in global images.

Chief Ins visits

Asking Seraphina questions

Showing Seraphina around

Singing new songs

 

 

Reception

Recognise that people have different beliefs and celebrate special times in different ways.

Recognise some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries.

Recognise some environments that are different from the one in which they live.

Understand the effect of changing seasons on the natural world around them.

What celebration do you know?Children talk about different cultural practices.

How is life the same or different for people living in thisplace compared to where we live?Children describe contrasts between lives in the different places..

What is different about the environmentin that place compared to here?Children identify and compare environments (including weather and animals)

What changes in each Winter/Spring?Children observe and describe seasonal patterns.

EXPRESSIVE ARTS & DESIGN

DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

CORE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

EXPLORATION STARTERS

3 & 4 Year Olds

Across EYFS

Begin to develop complex stories using small world equipment.

Make imaginative and complex ‘small worlds’ with blocks and construction kits.

Join different materials and explore different textures.

Listen with increased attention to sounds.

Respond to what they have heard, expressing their thoughts and feelings.

Sing the pitch of a tone sung by another person (‘pitch match’).

Sing the melodic shape of familiar songs.

Can you tell a story with your toys?Children create detailed storylines in play.

What will you build in your world?Children design and build creative structures.

What happens when you mix or stick these?Children explore textures and combine materials.

What can you hear in the music?Children listen attentively to sounds and rhythms.

How does that sound make you feel?Children react emotionally and verbally to music.

Can you copy this note?Children match pitch during singing.

Can you sing the ups and downs of the tune?Children follow melody shape in song.

Chief Ins visits

Asking Seraphina questions

Showing Seraphina around

Singing new songs

 

 

Reception

Listen attentively, move to and talk about music.

Watch and talk about dance and performance art.

Sing in a group or on their own, increasingly matching the pitch and following the melody.

Develop storylines in their pretend play.

What does the music make you feel like doing?Children respond to music with movement and discussion.

What did you notice about the dancing?Children observe and comment on performance.

Can you sing along with the tune?Children sing tunefully and follow melodies.

What’s happening in your role play?Children create and extend imaginative scenarios.

ONGOING

*Yearly ongoing focus

*Term specific ongoing focus

COMMUNICATION & LANGUAGE

PERSONAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL

PHYSICAL

3 & 4 Year Olds

Use a wider range of vocabulary.

Understand a question or instruction that has two parts.
Develop their communication but may have problems with irregular tenses and plurals.

Pay attention to more than one thing at a time, which can be difficult.

Develop their pronunciation but may have problems with some sounds.

Be able to express a point of view and debate when they disagree.

Start a conversation and continue it for many turns.

Use talk to organise themselves and their play.

Reception

Learn new vocabulary.

Use new vocabulary throughout the day.

Articulate their ideas in well-formed sentences.

Understand how to listen carefully and why listening is important.

Ask questions to find out more.

Retell the story using exact words or their own.

Use new vocabulary in different contexts.

Listen to rhymes and songs carefully.

Engage in non-fiction books.

Talk about non-fiction to develop vocabulary.

Connect one idea or action to another using a range of connectives.

 

3 & 4 Year Olds

Select and use activities and resources, with help when needed.

Develop their sense of responsibility and membership of a community.

Become more outgoing with unfamiliar people, in the safe context of their setting.

Show more confidence in new social situations.

Increasingly follow rules, understanding why they are important.

Remember rules without needing an adult to remind them.

Develop appropriate ways of being assertive.

Talk with others to solve conflicts.

Talk about their feelings using words like 'happy', 'sad', 'angry' or 'worried'.

Understand gradually how others might be feeling.

Be increasingly independent in meeting their own care needs, e.g., brushing teeth, using the toilet, washing and drying their hands thoroughly.

Make healthy choices about food, drink, activity and toothbrushing.

 

Reception

See themselves as a valuable individual.

Build constructive and respectful relationships.

Identify and moderate their own feelings socially and emotionally.

Think about the perspectives of others.

Manage their own needs. • Personal hygiene

Know and talk about the different factors that support their overall health and wellbeing:regular physical activity healthy eating toothbrushing sensible amounts of 'screen time' having a good sleep routine being a safe pedestrian

 

3 & 4 Year Olds

Continue to develop their movement, balancing, riding (scooters, trikes and bikes) and ball skills.

Go up steps and stairs, or climb up apparatus, using alternate feet.

Skip, hop, stand on one leg and hold a pose for a game like musical statues.

Use large-muscle movements to wave flags and streamers, paint and make marks.

Match their developing physical skills to tasks and activities in the setting.


Collaborate with others to manage large items.

Use one-handed tools and equipment.

Use a comfortable grip with good control when holding pens and pencils.

Show a preference for a dominant hand.

Be increasingly independent as they get dressed and undressed.

 

Reception

Revise and refine the fundamental movement skills they have already acquired:• rolling • crawling • walking • jumping • running • hopping • skipping • climbing

Progress towards a more fluent style of moving, with developing control and grace.

Develop the overall body strength, co-ordination, balance and agility needed to engage successfully with future physical education sessions and other physical disciplines including dance, gymnastics, sport and swimming.


Use their core muscle strength to achieve a good posture when sitting at a table or sitting on the floor.


Confidently and safely use a range of large and small apparatus indoors and outside, alone and in a group.

Develop overall body-strength, balance, co-ordination and agility.

Further develop and refine a range of ball skills including: throwing, catching, kicking, passing, batting, and aiming.

Develop confidence, competence, precision and accuracy when engaging in activities that involve a ball.

Develop the foundations of a handwriting style which is fast, accurate and efficient.

Further develop the skills they need to manage the school day successfully:• lining up and queuing • mealtimes

 

LITERACY

MATHS

UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD

3 & 4 Year Olds

Understand the five key concepts about print.

Develop their phonological awareness: rhymes, syllables, initial sounds.
Write some or all of their name.

Write some letters accurately.

 

Reception

Read individual letters by saying the sounds for them.

Blend sounds into words, so that they can read short words made up of known letter– sound correspondences.

Read some letter groups that each represent one sound and say sounds for them.

Form lower-case and capital letters correctly.

Spell words by identifying the sounds and then writing the sound with letter/s.

Write short sentences with words with known sound-letter correspondences using a capital letter and full stop.

Re-read what they have written to check that it makes sense.

 

3 & 4 Year Olds

Use all their senses in hands-on exploration of natural materials.

Explore collections of materials with similar and/or different properties.

Talk about what they see, using a wide vocabulary.

Begin to make sense of their own life-story and family's history.

Show interest in different occupations.

Explore how things work.

Plant seeds and care for growing plants.

Understand the key features of the life cycle of a plant and an animal.

Begin to understand the need to respect and care for the natural environment and all living things.


Talk about the differences between materials and changes they notice.

Continue developing positive attitudes about the differences between people.


 

Reception

Talk about members of their immediate family and community.

Name and describe people who are familiar to them.

Comment on images of familiar situations in the past.

Compare and contrast characters from stories, including figures from the past.

Draw information from a simple map.

Understand that some places are special to members of their community.


Explore the natural world around them.

Describe what they see, hear and feel whilst outside.

EXPRESSIVE ARTS & DESIGN

EXPRESSIVE ARTS & DESIGN

3 & 4 Year Olds

Take part in simple pretend play, using an object to represent something else even though they are not similar.

Explore different materials freely, to develop their ideas about how to use them and what to make.

Develop their own ideas and then decide which materials to use to express them.


Create closed shapes with continuous lines and begin to use these shapes to represent objects.

Draw with increasing complexity and detail, such as representing a face with a circle and including details.

Use drawing to represent ideas like movement or loud noises.

Show different emotions in their drawings and paintings, like happiness, sadness, fear, etc.

Explore colour and colour mixing.

Show different emotions in their drawings – happiness, sadness, fear, etc.

Remember and sing entire songs
.Create their own songs or improvise a song around one they know.

Play instruments with increasing control to express their feelings and ideas.

 

Reception

Explore, use and refine a variety of artistic effects to express their ideas and feelings.

Return to and build on their previous learning, refining ideas and developing their ability to represent them.

Create collaboratively, sharing ideas, resources and skills.

Explore and engage in music making and dance, performing solo or in groups.