Online Early Years Program (Age 3 to 5)
Online Early Years Curriculum
The Online Early Years curriculum for students age 3-5 at Sophia High School is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) which consists of the seven areas of learning and development.
Virtual Playdate
Please join us for our next EYFS/KS1 Virtual Playdate
with Ms. Vanessa Director of EYFS Thursday 27th April, 9 am (UK time) for an hour of fun!
Contact vanessa.temple@sophiahigh.school to confirm your place.
This programme is carefully planned and aligned with the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) followed in our Primary School to ensure that all children are introduced to the academic world in a style that is both stimulating and fun.
We are delighted to be the first UK Online Education Provider to partner with FieldWork Education for the online delivery of these leading global curriculum programmes of study
Interested in our Leading Online Early Years Program?
Meet our Director of Early Years - Vanessa Temple
Vanessa is a UK qualified, seasoned educator and leader with over 30 years’ experience in a range of international school settings. With a focus on school start-ups, developing online and hybrid learning programmes and the development of curriculum and CPD, Vanessa has worked in Asia and the Middle East for a range of leading education groups.
With over 1500 students attending a full year of her Early Years Online programme, the knowledge gained through this experience gives a unique perspective into meeting the needs of students, families and education providers as we move towards a truly global classroom.
All families looking to explore online early years education for their children are warmly invited to schedule a call with Ms Vanessa via our admissions team to discuss our program in more detail.
Our Online Early Years Program for children age 3 to age 5 in the Foundation Stage provides a nurturing and age appropriate fully online curriculum.
We aim to nurture, develop engage, and excite our youngest students so that they develop confidence and skills in all areas of English and build a strong foundation for future learning.
Following the globally recognised International Primary Curriculum (IPC) we enable our Early Years students to be lifelong learners, responsible global citizens and leaders of tomorrow. Sophia High School is the leading provider of online education for the Early Years globally, offering the highest standard of Online Early Years education for children between 3 to 5 years of age following the UK EYFS program.
We have adopted a child centred, creative, theme-based curriculum which allows children to explore an learn in a digital environment that is secure and safe, yet challenging.
We understand that this period in a child’s life is an important developmental stage when they discover themselves and the world around them.
Leadership and Teaching teams across the EY and KS1 work closely together to deliver an inspirational online experience for children as we develop their skills as digital natives and global citizens.
Online Early Years Program - Seven Areas of Learning
In our Online Early Years Programme, children take part in daily timetabled live, interactive lessons with our team of EYFS Qualified Educators who are passionate and dedicated to excellence in online early years education.
The ‘Prime Areas’ comprise Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Physical Development. These are supported and enhanced by the ‘Specific Areas’ of Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.
Art, Design and Technology, Geography, History, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Music, make up the other ‘Specific Areas’ and are taught as part of the integrated approach to the delivery of the IPC.
Children in our Online Early Years program have the opportunity throughout the academic year to be introduced to wider languages including French and Science by our specialist teachers and exciting workshops, visits and special events by visiting residents and guests.
Students are also exposed to a wide variety of extracurricular pursuits through our Beyond the Curriculum programme and may take up additional SophiaX extra-curricular sessions including in Drama, Coding, Languages, and Instrumental Music during the school holidays
Aims of the Online Early Years
In our Online Early Years Program, we aim to develop confidence and skills in all areas of English and build a strong foundation for future learning.
Our digital program which combines both, daily live interactive lessons with a programme of pre-recorded video lessons, supports children to express their thoughts, ideas and emotions freely through language, movement, art, music and play in English and their native language spoken at home.
The format of our online early years provision, allows families to access learning when it is convenient whilst providing daily routines and structures that children need to thrive. All lessons follow the themes, curricular expectations and events of the wider Online Primary School, modified to match the level needed and the pace our children can realistically work from at home and for their age and developmental stage.
Literacy lessons follow a book based approach using the award winning Literacy Tree Curriculum and includes Guided Reading on a weekly basis for all pupils. Phonics is taught daily in a separate lesson and is integrated into every Literacy lesson. Children have access to the Reading Eggs Programme during home learning sessions and Phonics resources following the Letters and Sounds model of delivery.
We aim to provide an engaging and meaningful curriculum that focuses on children learning through real life experiences and exciting activities. This enables our youngest students to know and understand their own feelings and the feelings of others as the socialise and make relationships with their peers in our global classroom. This supports them in playing cooperatively both online and offline, and to make them feel secure as part of a global learning community.
The curriculum in our Online Early Years Programme follows a topic overview plan, where planning is based around a main book based theme.
Mathematics in Online Early Years
In our ONline Early Years, our Maths programme follows the White Rose Maths Curriculum and has been planned to satisfy the requirements of the National Curriculum and guidelines of the New Primary Framework which focuses on a Mastery approach. Mathletics is used by all children both inside and outside of the classroom as part of home learning. Children are encouraged to explore the practical applications of Maths through real life activities that can be enjoyed from home and students are supported by a variety of practical hands on tools and resources.
Our aim in teaching mathematics is to develop in children:
Science in Online Early Years
In our science curriculum in Early Years through to Key Stage 1, we aim to develop children’s curiosity about themselves and the world around them. Our curriculum sets out to develop enquiring minds and children are encouraged to observe, question, predict and hypothesise to gain an understanding of scientific ideas.
Children are given opportunities to share their ideas and communicate them using scientific language, as well as recording their findings in a variety of ways. Most of the work is ‘hands – on’ investigative work, involving children enjoying experiments and developing a wide range of scientific skills.
For more information – download our Early Years Curriculum Guide here
International Primary Curriculum
Online International Primary School Curriculum
Three main IPC topics are planned per year with additional science topics added each term. Within each topic, enquiry and project based learning is planned, which culminates in a special event at the end of the topic such as a performance, display, short presentations or assembly, depending on the nature of the topic. Outdoor learning and physical activity opportunities are a regular feature of our curriculum and are incorporated in each termly topic.
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education is very important in Early Years. Team meetings take place daily, as a way of enhancing children’s emotional well-being. Personal Goal development and Sustainable Development goals are integrated into weekly lessons and embedded throughout the cross curricular approach to the curriculum.
Digital and IT skills are developed throughout each unit and across every lesson so that our children understand how to use technology effectively, safely and with confidence.
Children are exposed to the full suite of interactive learning tools in order to enhance online teaching and engage children as active participants including Google Classroom, Jamboard, Flipgrid and Virtual Reality. Whilst we pride ourselves on ensuring children develop skills in handwriting, reading from a book and project work, they also have opportunities to use ICT for research and to support their independent work.
Have questions? Please see our Common FAQs