In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Sir Franics Hill Primary School our aims are to:

• Treat every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
• Help children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. Ensuring children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents / carers.
• Ensure the Early Years environments, classrooms and outdoor spaces are are developed to be enabling environments for our children learning and play. This is supported with the help from adults, who respond to the children’s individual interests and needs we help the children to build the foundations for their future learning.
• Help children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates.

Four guiding principles shape practice at Sir Francis Hill Primary School Early Years which are in line with the school’s aspirational vision, aims and values. These are:

• Every child is a Unique Child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
• Children learn to be strong and independent through Positive Relationships.
• Children learn and develop well in Enabling Environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents / carers.
• Children Learn and Develop in different ways and at different rates.

The Areas of Learning and Development

There are seven areas of learning and development in the EYFS curriculum that shape the educational programme at Sir Francis Hill Primary School. All areas of learning and development are important and interconnected. These areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. We offer the children a wide range of activities and experiences through the prime and specific areas of the EYFS curriculum.

• Prime Area – Communication and language

• Prime Area – Physical development

• Prime Area – Personal, social and emotional development

• Specific Area – Literacy

• Specific Area – Mathematics

• Specific Area – Understanding the world

• Specific Area – Expressive arts and design

None of these areas of learning and development can be delivered in isolation from the others. They are equally important and depend on each other. All areas are delivered through a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. In each area there are Early Learning Goals that define the expectations for most children to reach by the end of the EYFS.

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Early Years Curriculum Progression

At Sir Francis Hill Primary School, our Early Years provision forms an integral part of the whole‑school curriculum progression. Our curriculum is designed to provide inspiring, meaningful learning experiences within a rich classroom environment that motivates children and encourages curiosity, independence and active engagement. Learning opportunities are carefully planned to challenge children, supporting them to solve problems, think creatively and confidently express their knowledge and understanding across all areas of learning, from Nursery through to Year 6.

The Early Years programme is designed to develop Nursery and Reception children’s skills and knowledge progressively throughout the year through a series of carefully structured topics. These topics are thoughtfully sequenced to support children’s learning and development, building knowledge and skills in a systematic way. This approach ensures children are well-prepared for the transition into the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum at the start of Year 1.