EYFS Understanding the World

Mount Carmel Values

Our aim is for every child to leave here an Ambassador of Christ.
Our values are deeply rooted in the high expectations that we have of each child in the school. Our Values permeate across the school through children's learning, friendships, behaviour and leadership.
Our values come from the Church.

C - consideration
H - helpfulness
U - unity
R - respect
C - commitment
H - honesty

Our British Values

Our children learn about our British Values through 5 areas. These are discussed at whole school liturgies and during lunch times. We are committed to serving our community, with the strong belief that we are one school for all.

Our Power Values

Our aim is for every child to leave with the power to make a positive change in the world. Through our subjects there are five themes that we believe are integral with teaching children how to become powerful adults.

We ensure that these themes run through our subjects. Children learn about 5 areas of power - Education, Religion, Resources, People and Legacy.

Our curriculum goal

To become a Compassionate Citizen who can help look after their community and care for the environment, and have an awareness of other people's cultures and beliefs.

Area of Learning -Understanding of the World

Understanding the world involves guiding children
to make sense of their physical world and their
community. The frequency and range of children’s
personal experiences increases their knowledge
and sense of the world around them – from visiting
parks, libraries and museums to meeting important
members of society such as police officers, nurses
and firefighters. In addition, listening to a broad
selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems
will foster their understanding of our culturally,
socially, technologically and ecologically diverse
world. As well as building important knowledge,
this extends their familiarity with words that support
understanding across domains. Enriching and
widening children’s vocabulary will support later
reading comprehension.

How you can help as parents

To become an Exceptional Explorer who can show curiosity about the world around them, understand how to read and draw a simple map, understand some differences between times and places.

Encourage children to explore the world
around them while walking in the park
or playing in the garden: discuss how
the weather looks and how it feels
outside, notice and talk about animals
and plants they can see.
Plant a seed with your child,
encourage them to look after it and
discuss what is happening.
Discuss important events that have
happened in your child’s life such as a
birthday, wedding, sibling being born,
learning to ride a bike and talk about
past, present and future.
Talk about events that happened
before your child was born such as:
their sibling being born
Discuss old and new toys are the toys
that you played with as a child the
same as the toys your child plays with?
How are they the same/different?
Discuss world wide events/celebrations that are happening, such as bonfire night, Diwali, Christmas etc.

nursery - Understanding the world

Natural world

I can talk about spiders and their life-cycle.
I can recognise the need for caring for small creatures that we see in our garden.
I can recognise the need for caring for our outdoor environment.
I can recognise where a carrot grows.
I can recognise what happens to ingredients when they are cooked.
I can talk about the weather.
I can talk about pets that I may have at home.

People and communities

I can talk about my family
I can talk about who is special to me and why.
I can name the members of my immediate family (mum, dad, brother, sister and grandparents)

Past and Present

I can understand who is older and younger than me in my family.

aUTUMN 1

autumn 2

Natural World

I can collect find natural materials, including twigs, sticks, pebbles, rocks, mud dirt and contrasting leaf/plants shapes and textures
I can identify and name; trees, conkers, acorns, leaves, pinecones.
I can talk about the weather and autumn
I can recognise changes that occur when cooking.

People and Communities

I can celebrate similarities and differences between mine and other’s families- Birthdays, Diwali, Hannukah, Christmas.

Past and Present

I can understand the terms 'today, now, before, yesterday, tomorrow'
I can talk about previous birthday celebrations.
I can think about Mary and Josephs journey to Bethlehem and think about how it would be different today.

nursery - Understanding the world

Natural World

I can name materials with similar and/or different properties.
I can find out how things work and talk about it.
I can talk about seasonal weather, winter into spring
I can talk about water in the environment- puddles, frost, snow and ice

People, Communities and Culture

I can talk about some similarities and differences between celebrations in China and the UK for Chinese New Year.
I can explore different homes.

Past and Present

I can talk about previous celebrations.
I can recognise newer and older homes.
I can think about the 'Three Magi's Journey' and how it would be different today.

Spring 1

spring 2

Natural World

I can talk about the simple features of animals as they grow from babies to adults in familiar animals (duck to duckling, chick to hen, lamb to sheep) and relate to human growth.
I can talk about the life-cycle of a duck.
I can start planting seeds
I can start caring for living things.
I can explore eggs.

People and communities

I am continuing to develop positive attitudes about the differences between people

Past and Present

I can recall a past event.

nursery - Understanding the world

Summer 1

summer 2

Natural World

I can explore and explain different forces, using toys and equipment and common experiences.
I can continue to care for the plants that are growing.
I can explore the mini-beasts that are in the outdoor area.
I can talk about the life-cycle of a Ladybird.
I can find out about bears; including their habitat and what they look like.
I can notice change including, melting in the Sun, and drying up and growing up .

People and Communities and Culture

I know that there are different countries in the world and can talk about some differences

Past and Present

I am beginning to make sense of my own life story and families history

reception - Understanding the world

Natural World

I can recall common weather patterns and notice patterns/clusters in weekly weather.
I can talk about how summer changes into Autumn.
I can name and investigate using my senses an increasing range of plants that give us food.
I know that vegetables grow, fruit comes from trees, flour comes from wheat.
I can describe and explore properties of food.
I know that some materials and food change when cooked

People, Communities and Culture

I can talk about times that are special to me and why.
I understand the use of our school community spaces: classroom, playgrounds, offices, hall.

Past and Present

I can talk about my family, who I live with and my summer holidays.

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Natural World

I can identify and name common native woodland, countryside creatures. Taking about where they live and what they might eat.
I can tell you about some creatures that are active at night, and that some go to sleep in the winter.
I can use accurate scientific language to describe features of the weather.

People, Communities and Culture

I can talk about some similarities and differences between life and this country and life celebrations in others.

Past and Present

I can talk about familiar situations from the past, looking at photos of the school and locally.

reception - Understanding the world

I can talk about how Autumn changes into Winter.
I can talk about the natural world around me (frosty grass, bare trees, ice, snow, cold).
I can describe the characteristics of materials.

People and Communities and Culture

I can talk about the people who help us in our community.
I can draw pictures of my house, school and other places in my local environment.
I can talk about my journey to and from school and what I see en-route.
I can talk about the different journeys I make.

Past and present

I can talk about the roles people have in my community.

spring 1

spring 2

Natural World

I can talk about how Winter changes into Spring.
I can talk about the natural world around me (warmth, bare trees, buds, rain, wet, new growth).
I can name mini-beasts, birds, reptiles and animals from different habitats.
I can name, observe and draw animals with common features.
I can name daffodils, snowdrops, dandelions, daisies, butter cups and other signs of spring.

People, Communities and Culture

I know that some environments are different to where I live.

Past and Present

Noticing changes from seed to plant and from caterpillar to butterfly.