What we offer in the curriculum…

 Daily Story time (Pre-school, Nursery and Reception)

At Beacon we read the children daily stories to develop their love for books and language. Sharing stories builds self-esteem, social skills, concentration, and vocabulary, feeds imagination and helps them to understand emotions and feelings. Teachers and adults read books with enthusiasm and encourage children to join in repeating familiar phrases. Children are asked questions to recall the stories to develop an understanding of books. 

Nursery Rhymes and songs (Pre-school, Nursery and Reception)

Research shows that children who enjoy music, singing and rhyming on a regular basis tend to learn to speak more easily and develop the English language.

At Beacon we teach children a range of songs and rhymes and encourage children to recall them and talk about their favourite rhyme and song. We want children to become confident to express themselves creatively in front of their peers and others, as this will help them in the future when they get jobs/ careers.

Ten Town (Pre-school, Nursery and Reception)

Ten Town brings numbers to life!

At Beacon we introduce the Ten Town characters weekly through the online stories and songs- which they love!! The children learn to associate the character to the number and learn the rhymes to help them form the numbers accurately and confidently.

Poetry Basket (Nursery and Reception)

Reciting poetry can ignite a love of language. But it also has the power to enhance the acquisition of vocabulary, as well as shaping the neural pathways crucial in the process of reading.

Each week the children learn a new poem through a video. They lean the actions through Makaton and perform this poem with their friends in class. 

Circle Time (Nursery and Reception)

During the weekly circle time sessions the children answer a big question and develop listening and speaking skills. They develop their turn taking skills and concentration skills. The children explore a wide range of topics across the curriculum.​​​​​​​

Helicopter Stories (Reception)

At Beacon we believe that every child is a natural storyteller.  Helicopter Stories values children’s creativity and imaginative play, whilst supporting language development, storytelling and emergent Literacy. At Beacon we allow the children to dictate their stories which we scribe and write down word for word what they say. The children are then given the opportunity to act out their stories alongside their friends and peers.

Beat Babies (Reception)

Beat Babies are versatile and will bring new life to language, literacy and emotional development in your setting. Their appealing nature means that children respond to them warmly, creating a positive environment in which learning can take place. They hold attention and develop concentration, giving a purposeful context for improving speaking and listening, turn taking and positive behaviour.

At Beacon we have a weekly session of Beat babies where the children learn new language through songs and furry characters.

Granny’s Basket (Reception)

Granny’s basket introduces the children to adventurous vocabulary linked to the focus fiction story which is used to deliver the topic in EYs in Reception. The children learn synonyms and speak confidently.

We introduced this due to the 30 million word gap as we understand language is a priority.

Word of the week (2s, Nursery and Reception)

Each week there will be a new 'word of the week' added onto your child's class page to extend their vocabulary. We encourage you to read this word to your child and encourage them to say the word and where possible use it in a sentence.

Outdoor Learning

At Beacon Primary school we value outdoor play. We have an extensive site which includes a large playground, large playing field, a trim trail and a play equipment.

Here are the reasons why we value outdoor play:

• Learning outside the classroom supports the development of healthy and active lifestyles by offering children opportunities for physical activity, freedom and movement, and promoting a sense of well-being.
•  Learning outside the classroom gives children contact with the natural world and offers them experiences that are unique to outdoors, such as direct contact with the weather and the seasons.
•  Playing and learning outside also helps children to understand and respect nature, the environment and the interdependence of humans, animals, plants, and life cycles.
•  Outdoor play also supports children’s problem-solving skills and nurtures their creativity, as well as providing rich opportunities for their developing imagination, inventiveness and resourcefulness.
•  Children need an outdoor environment that can provide them with space, both upwards and outwards, and places to explore, experiment, discover, be active and healthy, and to develop their physical capabilities.
•  The outdoor environment offers space and therefore is particularly important to those children who learn best through active movement. Very young children learn predominately through their sensory and physical experiences which supports brain development and the creation of neural networks.
• For many children, playing outdoors at their early years setting may be the only opportunity they have to play safely and freely while they learn to assess risk and develop the skills to manage new situations.