EYFS teachers, September is just around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking about getting your classroom ready for the new school year. And that’s why I have written this blog! Getting September Ready for EYFS Teachers goes hand in hand with the September Collection, complete with FREE posters, in depth guides, training, planning and MORE! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie to the EYFS world, this blog will help you navigate the ins and outs for getting EYFS September ready and help in preparing everything you’ll need to start with your new little learners.
Learning Environment
First things first, let’s talk about the learning environment. It is important to start to think about the different areas of learning, in both your indoor and outdoor classroom, and what you will have available for the children to access and explore. For example, you might have areas such as sand, water, construction, creative, and malleable materials. When mapping out the areas of your provision, consider the needs and interests of your children and how the areas you provide will create opportunities for children to build knowledge and skills. Make sure to also link these areas to your curriculum to help children build knowledge and skills in line with your overall learning aims.
When setting up your space, think about the different surfaces and furniture you have available. Hard floors are perfect for messy play, while softer surfaces are great for creating quiet reading nooks. Use furniture to create defined spaces in your classroom and think about how different areas of provision can complement each other, for example small world play links perfectly with construction as children can start to create elaborate worlds to build a narrative around.
Independence is key in the EYFS classroom, so make sure your resources are clearly labelled and easily accessible for children to self-select and tidy away. Use open-ended resources to deepen the level of play and encourage children to explore the variety of resources available and develop their imaginative skills.
Remember to be flexible with your learning environment, it will not work perfectly first time. What works for the first few weeks in September, may need some adjustments as you approach October half term, so be prepared to make changes as needed. By evaluating and auditing your space regularly, you ensure it is meeting the needs of your learners and your curriculum aims. Don’t be afraid to mix things up if something isn’t working!
Why not take a look at the full Learning Environment Guide here.
Timetables for EYFS in September
Timetabling learning, particularly in the EYFS in September, can be challenging, and it’s something I see requested across social media regularly. When planning your timetable, I advise prioritising the non-negotiables like phonics and reading and placing these into your time first, and then ensure that there is time for extended, uninterrupted time for children to play and explore the provision.
When creating a timetable, it’s also a great time to consider how you deploy adults, for example will you run with one adult engaging in the provision and another working with focused groups or will all adults be engaging in the provision and engaging in objective led planning. It’s a time to reflect on how you want your EYFS classroom to run and what works for you.
You can use these editable timetable examples to get you started.
Skeleton continuous provision
Continuous provision is the cornerstone of the EYFS and play based learning. Continuous provision refers to the environment, resources, adult interactions, in short everything available to encourage and scaffold children’s learning and development. In September it is a good idea to start with a “skeleton” provision. Strip back the resources available to the children to allow you the opportunity to model using the provision effectively and to allow children to become more familiar with their environment and what is available.
This stripping back supports children to understand the expectations and starts to embed good play behaviour and using resources effectively. The more time adults can spend modelling and supporting these initial periods of provision the better. Take time now and reap the benefits later in the year.
There is everything you need to get started with or improve your continuous provision inside the IITTP Membership, including planning, guides, adult prompts and training.
Planning in September
When planning for the first week back in September, encourage as much time spent playing in the provision as possible. This helps children to feel familiar and settle quickly. When planning any focus activities prioritise PSED and spend time exploring stories through short shared reading sessions. You may also want to start with some phase one phonics activities and begin to think about a baseline assessment (and no not the Statutory one, that tells us the square root of nothing), use a play-based assessment, where you start to learn more about the children so that future enhancements and learning can be geared towards their needs and interests.
In conclusion, getting September ready for EYFS teachers is all about creating a supportive and engaging learning environment for your little learners. Take the time to strip back your provision, model effective use of resources, and prioritize play-based learning in those first crucial weeks. By setting the stage for a successful year ahead, you’ll be laying the foundation for a year of growth and development for your children. Happy September prepping!
Get all the help and support you need inside the Is it Time to Play September Collection– pay for what you need or access everything for just £8.50 a month by becoming an All Access Member.