Our Early Years Curriculum
A happy, inspiring start to school
Our Early Years curriculum is designed to give every child the very best start to their education. We want children to feel happy, safe, confident and excited to learn, while developing the knowledge, skills and independence they need for the next stage of their journey.
Children in the Early Years learn best when they are actively involved: exploring, talking, creating, investigating, practising new skills and following their curiosity. Our curriculum therefore combines purposeful play, carefully planned learning experiences and high-quality adult-led teaching.
Our experienced staff get to know each child as an individual, building on what they already know and can do while providing the right level of support and challenge to help them make progress.
Learning through the EYFS
Our curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which sets the standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five.
Learning is organised across seven areas of development:
The three prime areas
- Communication and Language
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
The four specific areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
These areas are closely connected. A child building a model, for example, may be developing mathematical understanding, strengthening fine-motor skills, solving problems, learning new vocabulary and working cooperatively with friends – all within one meaningful experience.
Communication at the heart of learning
Strong communication and language skills provide an important foundation for children’s future learning. Throughout the day, children are encouraged to talk, listen, ask questions, explain their thinking and develop a rich vocabulary.
We are fortunate to benefit from the expertise of The Language Tree, a private speech and language therapy provision. Their specialist knowledge provides valuable guidance and support to our Early Years team, helping us to create a communication-rich environment and support children’s speech, language and communication development.
Stories, rhymes, songs and conversations are an important part of our provision. Adults model rich language and make the most of opportunities to extend children’s vocabulary and understanding through both planned activities and everyday interactions.
Developing early reading, writing and mathematics
We help children develop a love of books and stories while building the foundations they need to become confident readers and writers. Children develop their listening skills, phonological awareness and understanding of sounds and letters, alongside opportunities to mark-make and write for meaningful purposes.
Mathematics is brought to life through practical experiences. Children explore numbers, patterns, shape, space and measures through games, stories, routines, investigation and play. We encourage children not simply to find an answer, but to notice, compare, predict, explain and solve problems.
Learning through play and exploration
Play is a vital part of children’s learning and development. Our learning environment is carefully organised so that children can make choices, pursue interests, practise new skills and become increasingly independent.
Adults play an important role within this. They observe children’s learning, join their play at appropriate moments, introduce new ideas and vocabulary, ask thoughtful questions and provide challenges which help children move their learning forward.
Children also have regular opportunities to learn outdoors, where they can explore the natural world, develop their physical skills, investigate on a larger scale and experience learning in different ways.
Developing the whole child
Early Years is about much more than preparing children academically. We want children to develop the personal qualities that will help them thrive throughout school and beyond.
We support children to become independent, resilient and curious learners who can make choices, persevere when something is difficult, develop positive relationships and take pride in what they achieve.
Through daily routines and experiences, children learn how to look after themselves, manage their feelings, cooperate with others, take appropriate risks and become confident members of our school community.
Every child is unique
Children do not all develop in exactly the same way or at the same pace. Our staff use their knowledge of each child, alongside careful observation and assessment, to identify what children know, understand and can do and what they need to learn next.
Our provision is adapted so that all children can participate, make progress and experience success, while additional support and challenge are provided where appropriate.
Working together with families
Parents and carers know their children best, and we value the important role families play in children’s learning and development.
We aim to build strong partnerships between home and school, sharing children’s achievements and progress and providing opportunities for families to understand and support the learning taking place in school.
Together, we want children to leave the Early Years as happy, confident and enthusiastic learners, ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of Key Stage 1.
The Early Years Foundation Stage
The EYFS statutory framework sets the standards that schools and other registered early years providers must meet to ensure children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.
Further information about the Early Years Foundation Stage and the current statutory framework is available from the UK Government.