EYFS

Early Years Foundation Stage

Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) includes Pre-school Nursery and Reception Classes, forming the foundation of our whole-school curriculum from Pre-school to Year 6. Scroll through our gallery to explore our Early Years Curriculum Map and Policy, and click the button for more information about our Pre-school.

The Early Years are a crucial stage in a child’s education. At our school, the EYFS curriculum is carefully designed to ensure children make strong progress across all areas of learning, with a particular emphasis on the prime areas, especially communication and language. Our ambitious and structured approach allows children to develop, consolidate, and deepen their knowledge and skills, preparing them confidently for Year 1.

Fostering a Love of Reading

Encouraging a lifelong love of reading is central to our approach. In Reception, children learn to read through Essential Letters and Sounds Phonics, an accredited, systematic, synthetic programme. Our curriculum blends:

Play
Exploration
Active learning
Creative thinking
Critical thinking

We also nurture reading at home through our reading reward scheme, celebrating every child’s achievements.

Enriching Learning Experiences

We enrich the EYFS curriculum with visits, visitors, and hands-on experiences. Children develop independence, responsibility, and an understanding of the natural world through activities such as our duckling hatching project. We love to use our outdoor learning spaces and embrace learning outside in all seasons.

Building Strong Partnerships with Parents

We value strong partnerships with parents. Our transition programme includes Stay and Play sessions and a Teddy Bear’s Picnic to welcome new families. During your child’s first term, we also invite parents to workshops in early maths, reading, and writing.

Celebrating Learning

In Nursery, each child has a Learning Journey Journal, documenting their progress and achievements. Parents are welcome to view these during pick-up times, and children enjoy revisiting their experiences together as a class.

At our school, we aim to give every child the most special start to their education, building confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning that will last a lifetime.

St Bede's Catholic Primary School