Welcome to EYFS

In our Early Years department, we have our two year old provision, our 3-4 year old morning and afternoon Nursery (including 30hrs provision) and two Reception classes.

From the very first moment the children enter our care, we believe in providing them with a safe and stimulating environment where each child can be themselves. We pride ourselves on listening to children and those who care for them, and using this information to personalise learning. We believe that every child is unique and should be treated so, allowing them the opportunity to develop and learn in a nurturing environment where play and learning are one. Learning in EYFS is both fun and challenging.

We strongly believe in first-hand experience, valuing the importance of the outdoor environment and the development of children’s thinking and problem solving skills. We encourage our children to engage in lots of sensory messy play to help them explore the world around them. This means your children may come home with messy clothes! Don’t be cross with them, just know it means they’ve had lots of fun and been learning too!

We strive to equip children with a love of learning and a natural curiosity.  We are committed to giving our children the best possible start to their school life, teaching them skills which ensure their well-being now and success in the future.

The staff in EYFS promise our children that by the time you leave us:

1. You will have had fun, discovered your talents and celebrated many successes along the way.
2. You will love learning and want to keep on learning more.
3. You will know that life is a fantastic adventure, and have the confidence to take on the challenges that await you and curiosity to see what the world has to offer.
4. You will have grown healthy and strong and have an understanding of how to look after your body and keep yourself safe.
5. You will have friends and will have learnt to treat other people with fairness, kindness and respect.

While your child is in EYFS

Our learning environment is vibrant, secure and well resourced, both inside and out. It provides the children with a variety of exciting activities and many opportunities to learn through play.

The children have access to the indoor and outdoor environment for most of the day and are encouraged to make their own choices about where they work and play. The children have daily exercise and dance sessions to start their day and weekly music sessions. We also visit the woodland area for Forest School activities which are enjoyed by all. We promote and develop independence and decision making skills in all we do.

In Reception, our teachers continue to encourage and promote ‘active’ learning throughout all the areas of the Foundation Stage Curriculum, celebrating each child’s achievements and preparing them for a smooth and happy transition into Key Stage 1. The children’s learning often follows their interests and what enthuses them. We tailor each cohort's planning to the children’s individual needs and requirements.

We put a strong emphasis on building social skills and recognise that each child brings a different talent to our school. These qualities help to make our reception a fascinating learning environment.

Most Nursery children transfer into Reception from our nursery in the September following their fourth birthday and are joined by children from other local nurseries.

We use a Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme called Essential Letters and Sounds to teach Phonics, Reading and Writing.

In the final term of the Reception Year each child is assessed against the Early Learning Goals. The results of these assessments are submitted to the Local Authority in the form of the Early Years Profile, as well as being shared with parents and carers alongside the end of year report. This report is shared with the pupils’ Year 1 teachers to ensure a smooth transition into their next phase of education.

Our EYFS Curriculum

Our curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that there is opportunity to cover all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). These include:

Prime Areas of Learning

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication & Language
• Physical Development

Specific Areas of Learning

• Mathematics
• Literacy
• Understanding of the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

The under ‘3s’ curriculum focuses on providing experience and teaching that develops the essential aspects of early child development. It is sequenced to ensure it prepares children for the next stage in their learning journey and focuses on the three prime areas of learning.