Early Years Curriculum
Early Years
At Ealdham Primary School, we believe that young children learn best when they are happy, motivated and interested. In our Early Years, children learn through play, exploration and first-hand experiences, supported by caring adults who help them make sense of the world around them. We see every child as capable, confident and resilient, and we aim to provide a safe, nurturing environment where all children can thrive.
Children in Nursery and Reception enjoy a balance of child-initiated play and adult-led activities. Staff take time to get to know each child well and use children’s interests as a starting point for learning, while also ensuring that key skills such as communication and language, early reading and writing, and personal development are taught clearly and consistently. Adults support learning through thoughtful interaction, modelling language, asking questions and encouraging children to think and talk about what they are doing.
Our indoor and outdoor environments are carefully organised to encourage children to explore, investigate and develop independence. Children are able to choose resources for themselves from a well-planned, workshop-style environment, helping them to build confidence, problem-solving skills and resilience. Children spend time learning both indoors and outdoors every day, in all weathers, making use of our outdoor spaces to inspire curiosity, creativity and a love of learning.
Children’s wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do in Early Years. We know that children learn best when they feel safe, secure, valued and happy. Staff support children to build positive relationships, make friends, work together and learn how to recognise and manage their feelings. Our provision is inclusive, and we adapt learning to support all children, including those with additional needs, disadvantaged pupils and children with English as an additional language.
We use assessment carefully to understand each child’s progress and plan next steps. In Nursery and Reception, children have two key records of their learning:
- A Special Folder, which celebrates children’s child-initiated learning, interests and achievements. This captures learning through play and special moments that are meaningful to the child.
- An Adult Focus Work Book, which records adult-led activities and shows how children are developing key skills over time. This is used by staff to monitor progress and ensure learning is building securely.
These records support smooth transitions within the school, including the move into Year 1.
We value strong partnerships with parents and carers. Staff communicate regularly with families at the classroom door and through ClassDojo, sharing photographs, learning moments and updates. Parents are encouraged to share learning from home, and children enjoy talking about these experiences in class, which helps to develop confidence and communication skills.
Our Early Years team love to learn alongside the children and work closely together and with external partners to continually improve practice. We take part in projects such as SPACE to Flourish, which supports the development of high-quality learning environments and positive adult interaction.
Overall, we aim to ensure that children are well supported and well prepared for the next stage of their education.
https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage
https://foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf
