Our Approach to EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Castle Bromwich Infant and Nursery School covers children aged 2 to 5. Our Nursery provision takes 2-to 4 year olds and our Reception classes take 4- to 5-year-olds.

Our view of your child

We believe every child is a unique individual with the potential to grow and thrive. Children are naturally curious, active and full of ideas, and our job is to provide a caring, safe environment that is also stimulating and challenging. We want all our children to feel safe, valued, happy, included and nurtured, and to be the best they can be.

The seven areas of learning

The EYFS curriculum is built around seven areas of learning, as set out in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Three Prime areas, which we focus on first because they underpin everything else:

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

Four Specific areas, which build on the Prime areas:

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

 

Children develop across all seven areas throughout their time with us in Nursery and Reception.

How we teach in the EYFS

Our approach is play-based and carefully planned around a balance of child-initiated and adult-initiated learning. Children have time to explore, experiment and follow their own interests, alongside focused group sessions led by an adult. We teach both indoors and outdoors every day.

Our "continuous provision" means children can practise and apply the skills they have been taught in a range of hands-on, playful contexts throughout the day. Our educators use these moments to extend learning, ask questions, model thinking and encourage children to take safe risks and solve problems for themselves.

We regularly refresh the provision in response to what our children are interested in, what they are learning, and what they need next. We also enrich the curriculum with visits to the local community and visitors to the school, so learning connects to the wider world.

Communication and language

Developing children's talk is a top priority for us, especially as many of our families speak more than one language at home. Our classrooms are rich language environments with high-quality conversations, songs, rhymes, and plenty of story time. In nursery, we focus on building the pre-reading skills children need, including listening, rhyming and recognising sounds.

Reading and phonics

We follow a systematic phonics programme based on Letters and Sounds, adapted for our school. In Nursery, children are introduced to Phase 1 phonics through games, songs and group activities. In Reception, children move on to Phases 2, 3 and, where appropriate, Phase 4.

We use high-quality "spine texts" from the Talk for Writing programme, which children revisit and retell so they really internalise the stories and the language within them. Children read daily, both at school and at home, and the books that go home are carefully matched to each child's phonics level so that they experience success as readers from the start.

By the end of Reception, children will know Phase 2 and Phase 3 sounds securely, be able to blend and read, and have the awareness and confidence to tackle Phase 4 and 5 words as they move into Year 1.

Mathematics

Our mathematics curriculum follows a mastery approach, using concrete objects, pictures and numbers to help children see mathematical structures and build real understanding. We prioritise early number so children develop a strong number sense alongside fluency and reasoning. Children have plenty of opportunities to explore mathematical ideas, make connections, use mathematical language and solve problems through play.

Working with you

We know how important the partnership between home and school is in the early years. Educators spend time getting to know every child and their family, building on what children already know, enjoy and are curious about. We share your child's learning with you through our learning platform and at the classroom door, celebrating successes and talking through next steps together.

Supporting every child

Our curriculum is designed so that every child can learn and thrive, whatever their starting point. Children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities, children with English as an Additional Language and children in receipt of Pupil Premium are supported through carefully planned interventions, adaptations to the environment and additional adult support where needed.

Where our children get to by the end of Reception

Our aim is that children leave Reception ready for Year 1 as confident, independent, kind and curious learners with a thirst for life and learning. They are keen talkers who can explain their thinking, resilient when things are tricky, and able to apply what they know in new situations. They have strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, a wider sense of the world around them, and the values and attitudes that will serve them as lifelong learners.

Read more

Our full EYFS Statement of Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact is available below.