EYFS
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
At Chapel End Primary School, our Early Years Foundation Stage provides a nurturing, stimulating and inclusive environment for children aged from 9 months to 5 years. We recognise that every child is unique and develops at their own pace, and we are committed to giving every child the very best start to their educational journey. Our EYFS encompasses our Baby Room, Toddler provision, Nursery and Reception, ensuring a seamless progression of learning and development from 9 months through to the end of the Reception year. Through strong relationships, high-quality interactions and carefully planned learning opportunities, we support children to become confident, curious and independent learners who are ready for the next stage of their education.
Our aims
In the Early Years Foundation Stage at Chapel End Primary School, we aim to:
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support children to make a happy, confident and secure transition from home into our early years setting
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provide a safe, caring, nurturing and inclusive environment where every child feels valued and supported
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build strong, positive relationships with children and their families to promote wellbeing and successful learning
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plan high-quality learning experiences that reflect children's individual needs, interests and stages of development through a balanced mix of adult-led and child-initiated learning
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support children to become confident, resilient and independent learners who are able to fulfil their potential
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deliver a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework
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foster positive partnerships with parents and carers, recognising them as children's first and most important educators
Our EYFS curriculum
At Chapel End Primary School, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which sets the standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five years of age. Our curriculum is designed to provide children with rich, meaningful experiences that promote curiosity, creativity and a lifelong love of learning. Children learn primarily through play, exploration, purposeful experiences and high-quality interactions with skilled adults. Practitioners carefully observe children's interests and development to plan exciting opportunities that build upon what children already know and can do. We believe that secure relationships and emotional wellbeing are at the heart of successful learning. From our youngest babies to our Reception children, we create environments where children feel safe, develop confidence and are encouraged to explore, investigate and communicate with others.
The EYFS curriculum is organised into seven interconnected areas of learning and development. The three prime areas provide the essential foundations for children's learning, relationships and wellbeing, while the four specific areas build upon and strengthen these foundations as children grow and develop.
The EYFS framework sets the learning and development requirements for all children from birth to five and identifies seven interconnected areas of learning.
The three prime areas
Communication and Language
The development of spoken language underpins all areas of learning and development. From babbling, gestures and early communication through to confident conversations and storytelling, children are supported to develop their listening, attention, understanding and speaking skills. Our practitioners create a language-rich environment where children are encouraged to communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas. Through meaningful conversations, stories, songs, rhymes and shared play experiences, we introduce new vocabulary and extend children's language naturally throughout the day.
Physical Development
Physical development is fundamental to children's overall health, wellbeing and independence. Beginning with sensory exploration, tummy time, crawling and early movement, children are supported to develop strength, balance, coordination and confidence in using their bodies. As children grow, they enjoy a wide range of indoor and outdoor opportunities that develop both gross and fine motor skills, helping them build the foundations for movement, self-care, mark making and later writing.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Children's personal, social and emotional development is central to everything we do. We know that strong, warm and supportive relationships help children feel secure and enable them to develop confidence, resilience and positive relationships with others. From our youngest children learning to form secure attachments to Reception children developing independence and self-regulation, we support every child to understand emotions, build friendships, manage feelings and develop a positive sense of themselves.
The four specific areas
Literacy
We aim to develop a lifelong love of reading from the very beginning. Babies and young children enjoy songs, rhymes, stories and sharing books with adults, helping them develop language, imagination and early comprehension skills. Throughout Nursery and Reception, children continue to enjoy a rich reading environment and develop the knowledge and skills needed for reading and writing. Nursery follows Letters and Sounds, while Reception uses Essential Letters and Sounds, providing a systematic synthetic phonics approach to support children as they become confident readers and writers.
Mathematics
Mathematical understanding develops through everyday experiences, exploration and play. From noticing patterns and exploring shape and space to counting, comparing quantities and developing a deep understanding of number, children are given meaningful opportunities to build strong mathematical foundations. Our practitioners use practical experiences and carefully planned interactions to encourage mathematical thinking, reasoning and problem solving throughout the environment.
Understanding the World
Children are naturally curious about the world around them. We encourage them to explore their environment, investigate nature, discover different people and communities and develop an understanding of the world through first-hand experiences. Visits, visitors, outdoor learning, stories and meaningful experiences help children develop knowledge, curiosity and the vocabulary needed to understand their increasingly diverse physical, cultural and social world.
Expressive Arts and Design
Creativity and imagination are celebrated throughout our EYFS. Children are given regular opportunities to explore music, movement, art, role play, dance, construction and a wide range of creative materials. Through open-ended experiences and imaginative play, children develop confidence in expressing themselves, communicating ideas and exploring their own creativity while appreciating the artistic and cultural experiences around them.
Learning through play
Play is at the heart of learning within our EYFS. Our carefully designed indoor and outdoor environments enable children from 9 months to Reception to explore, investigate, create, collaborate and develop independence. Children benefit from a balance of child-initiated learning, where they can follow their own interests, and thoughtfully planned adult-led experiences that introduce new knowledge, vocabulary and skills. Practitioners observe children closely and use these observations to respond to their individual developmental needs and next steps.
The EYFS framework emphasises that children learn through play and through high-quality adult interactions within the seven areas of learning and development.
Assessment
Assessment is an ongoing part of everyday practice within our EYFS. Practitioners observe children as they play, communicate and engage in learning experiences to gain a secure understanding of their development, interests and individual needs. These observations are used to inform future planning and ensure that learning opportunities are appropriately matched to each child's stage of development. We value working in partnership with parents and carers and regularly share children's progress, celebrating achievements and discussing next steps together. Children's progress is reviewed throughout their time in the EYFS in accordance with statutory requirements, including the two year check, Reception Baseline Assessment and the EYFS Profile at the end of Reception. We also review children's progress as a team on a reglaur basis and amend targets and privision accordingly. Parents and carers are kept informed and are encouraged to contribute to their child's learning journey.
The statutory EYFS requires ongoing assessment through observation, with the EYFS Profile completed at the end of the Reception year.
Working in partnership with parents and carers
We believe that parents and carers play a vital role in every child's learning and development. By building strong partnerships between home and school, we can provide consistent support that helps children feel secure, confident and ready to learn. We welcome regular communication with families and encourage parents and carers to share important milestones, achievements and experiences from home. Together, we work to ensure every child receives the care, encouragement and opportunities they need to thrive throughout their early years.