FS CURRICULUM | THE ARBOR SCHOOL

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum framework, focusing on children’s well-being and development through a play-based approach. Using specialist teaching areas—including climate-controlled biodomes, learning gardens, a food technology kitchen, and art, drama, and music studios—our unique environment enhances your child’s first-hand experiences. 

We are a UK National Curriculum setting with an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning, facilitating inquiry learning through project-based learning. Each term, Early Years students explore a project and an essential question linked to our Eco-Literacy curriculum. Through student-chosen stories, we bring meaning to these essential questions. 

Students’ ideas and discussions shape the learning in our Early Years environments. While each classroom is unique, the seven key areas of learning are consistently represented through role-play areas, innovation spaces, and creative and investigation zones. In FS1 and FS2, we focus on developing children’s physical, social, and communication skills. In FS2, we shift the focus to reading, writing, and problem-solving. Teachers facilitate academic progress in each learning space, ensuring opportunities are meaningful and as close to real-life contexts as possible. This is what we call “Discovery Time.” 

The Arbor School offers unique experiences to Early Years students, such as Eco-Literacy, Woodtopia, and Muddy Madness, which encourage critical thinking, hands-on learning, and safe risk-taking. 

• Woodtopia is an Early Years woodwork program unique to Arbor. Children use real tools to tinker and create, learning to manage and control tools while developing skills in numeracy, shape, space, and measurement. Through projects such as beehives and bug hotels, students engage their heads, hands, and hearts. 

• Muddy Madness is a weekly focus encouraging tactile, sensory play, outdoor exploration, and familiarity with nature. Research shows that engaging with mud can improve immune systems and build resilience to illnesses, including allergies, asthma, and even depression and anxiety. 

• Eco-Literacy goes beyond traditional environmental education by fostering a mindset that considers ecological and social well-being in personal and community actions. The program connects classroom learning to real-world applications, embedding skills like inquiry, critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity. 

Each FS class is taught by a qualified teacher and a learning support assistant, with caregivers supporting two FS classes. Foundation Stage teachers are chosen for their experience and passion for Early Years education and their commitment to embedding Arbor’s mission and vision into daily learning. The Foundation Stage department team also includes Early Years teaching assistants who support students’ progress and learning through intervention groups.  

The day begins with a staggered drop-off from 7:45 am to 8:00 am. Students receive focused teaching in phonics, math, and understanding the world throughout the week. Most of the day is spent in Discovery Time, where children learn through play and explore their interests. 

Early Years students have daily indoor and outdoor learning opportunities and participate in multiple specialist lessons, such as Eco-Literacy, Creative Arts, and Physical Education. They visit the library weekly, borrow books, and begin Arabic lessons in FS1, with Islamic lessons for Muslim students once a week. P.E. sessions include one weekly swimming lesson. 

The school day includes a morning snack and lunch. Students can bring food from home or choose meals freshly prepared on-site by The Farmhouse, catering to vegan, vegetarian, and non-vegetarian diets. FS1 ends at 1:00 pm, while FS2 continues until 2:00 pm. 

At The Arbor School, we nurture essential learning skills through engaging characters that represent key attributes: 

• Exploring Eagle: You are curious about exploring new things. 

• Communicating Crocodile: You like sharing your ideas with your friends and listening to the ideas of others. 

• Responsible Rhino: You think before you act, you can make good choices. 

• Inquiring Iguana: You like asking questions and learning about new things. 

• Collaborative Crab: You like working with others to complete a task. 

• Creative Caterpillar: You use your imagination when you play or create new things. 

• Thinking Thresher: You can use your thinking to make connections when learning 

These skills are integrated into daily routines, stories, and activities, with child-friendly language to help students understand and describe their learning. Weekly reflections, planning, and assessments ensure meaningful skill development and celebrate each child’s progress. 

At The Arbor School, British values are an integral part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, fostering respect, tolerance, democracy, liberty, law, and responsibility. These values are embedded through practical activities and interactions that nurture understanding and community-mindedness in young children. 

• Respect: Children learn to value and celebrate differences, understanding that it is okay for others to think or feel differently. For example, they explore various cultures, celebrate international events like Union Day, and follow the principles of “Ready, Respectful, and Safe” in their daily routines. 

• Tolerance: Students develop an appreciation for diversity by discussing celebrations and traditions during circle time and participating in activities like the International Expo. These opportunities help children learn about and respect the events their peers celebrate. 

• Democracy: Children experience democratic practices through activities such as voting for class rewards when reaching their marble target and taking turns being the “Tiny Teacher.” These activities encourage shared decision-making and foster collective responsibility. 

• Liberty: Independence and choice are promoted by allowing children to select activities during Discovery Time and make decisions about their likes, dislikes, and friendships. This empowers them to think for themselves and build confidence. 

• Law: Students understand the importance of rules and agreements by co-creating and following classroom agreements designed to ensure happiness and safety for all. This practice introduces the concept of accountability and fair play. 

• Responsibility: Through developing the “Responsible Rhino” learning skill, children are encouraged to think before acting, make good choices, and care for their indoor and outdoor learning environments. 

By embedding these values into daily practices, The Arbor School equips young learners with the skills and attitudes necessary to become respectful, responsible, and active members of their communities. 

Foundation Stage Seedling Club is available for all FS1 & FS2 students from Monday to Thursday each week from 1:20pm – 4:20pm.  

The FS Seedling Club is after-school care for FS students, it is supervised by members of the FS team . It involves activities such as discovery time, exploring FS outdoor space, arts and crafts, mindfulness and inquiry activities. It is designed to provide a joyful and nurturing space for our FS students. 

There are a number of additional, external, extra-curricular activities available for FS students from 1pm – 2pm and 2pm – 3pm. These include football, hip hop dance class, ballet, chess, language clubs, karate and baking club, with many more to be added.