Coverage Of 6 Areas

[Guest]

Hi everyone

 

I just wondered how much time people spend on the six areas of learning. I'm beginning to wonder if my planning is too Lit / Num heavy.

 

I teach in a Reception class in an inner city multicultural school, with the majority of children from ethnic minority backgrounds, and many with EAL. Generally, the children come into our Nursery at very low levels.

 

At the moment my currciulum is something like this:

 

LITERACY / NUMERACY: Every day we have a focused Lit and Num carpet session. (practical and lively). The children will then have a focused Lit OR Num focused activity (again practical and play based as far as possible). The children are rotated in groups and the others are on free play.

 

PSED: Largely ongoing, but with two 10-15 minute focused sessions a week

 

CD: Usually a focused Art activity, and a short music session each week

 

KUW: 1 or 2 focused activities, e.g. DT task or Science (investigating ice balloons etc). Plus 1 session in the computer room a week (other ICT ongoing)

 

PD: 2+ weekly hall sessions a week. Plus all the outdoor play (usually available all the time). Fine motor skill activities are avaiable too.

 

Most of the focused activities are done in small groups and rotated during the week / day. The children get lots of time for child initiated activities too.

 

As well as me, there is a full time TA so there is usually a floating adult supporting free play (but not always - and usually in the outdoor area - although we get round this by planning some of our focused activities outside).

 

Anyway - is this something like what other people do, or do you have different ways? I often wonder if we have too many focused activites - but feel they need it!

 

any ideas would be appreciated

 

Thanks, Kelly x

[Guest]

Hi Kelly

I think my lit/numeracy is much the same as yours.

Physical Education I do 3 sessions - we've been advised by county that children should take part in at least 2 hours of it per week.

I have 2/3 PSE sessions per week, including circle time, and snack times are part m daily routine.

I have a creative afternoon, a KUW Scince based afternoon, ICT - where I can be released to hear word boxes, readers, etc.

A KUW History or Geography based afternoon (short session) and music is taught on most days, R.E once a week

Hope this helps.

We also have a library session weekly.

[michaelle]

Mine also sounds pretty much the same as yours except I too do 2/3 sessions of PE (outdoor pe, dance, and parachute) may also have 10 mins a day with balls, on tyre park etc.

[Guest]

I thought this was a problem when I started at my school and when I convinced others to sit down and actually add up time spent on each area of learning it was highlighted as an issue.

 

Basically, the FS gives equal weighting to each area of learning... so really, each area should have roughly an equal 6th of the curriculum time.

 

Bearing in mind, not all PD has to be done in PE time, not all KUW happens in planned 'KUW time' - the whole curriculum is inter-linked, which is the beauty of the FS when you get it right

 

Hope this helps

 

~P