EYFS

Nursery and Reception

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)is a framework in the UK that sets the standards for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to age 5. It is designed to ensure that children are provided with a safe and stimulating environment that supports their early education and development.

Key Components of EYFS:
1. Prime Areas of Learning:
- Communication and Language: Developing listening, speaking, and understanding skills.
- Physical Development: Enhancing gross and fine motor skills, and understanding the importance of physical activity and healthy choices.
- Personal, Social, and Emotional Development: Building self-confidence, managing feelings, and developing social skills.

2. Specific Areas of Learning:
- Literacy: Encouraging reading and writing skills.
- Mathematics:** Introducing concepts of numbers, shapes, space, and measures.
- Understanding the World:Exploring the environment, technology, and the community.
- Expressive Arts and Design: Fostering creativity through art, music, dance, and role-play.

3. Characteristics of Effective Learning:
- Playing and Exploring: Encouraging curiosity and engagement.
- Active Learning: Promoting concentration and perseverance.
- Creating and Thinking Critically: Developing problem-solving and decision-making skills.

EYFS in Nursery and Reception:

Nursery:

Nursery typically refers to early childhood education for children aged 3-4. In this setting, children begin to engage in structured play and learning activities that align with the EYFS framework. The focus is on the prime areas of learning, laying the foundation for later educational stages.

Reception:

Reception is the school year before Year 1, typically for children aged 4-5. It is the final year of the EYFS. In Reception, children build on what they learned in Nursery, with a greater emphasis on both prime and specific areas of learning. The aim is to prepare children for the more formal learning that starts in Key Stage 1 (Year 1).

Assessment:
Children's progress in the EYFS is monitored through ongoing assessments, which are mostly observational. These assessments are used to inform planning and to support each child's learning journey. At the end of the Reception year, the EYFS Profile is completed for each child, summarizing their development across all areas of learning.

eyfs policy.pdf

Reception Baseline

In 2021 the DFE introduced a statutory Baseline for Reception children. This baseline needs to be administered by the end of October, to all children in Reception. Below is the DFE leaflet explaining this, from the DFE.

2022 information for parents reception baseline assessment.pdf

Curriculum

Our EYFS unit will continue to operate as one in September 2024/25. Staff in both Nursery and Reception will work together to offer a positive enabling environment where both the adults, resources and space are key to supporting children’s learning. Staff will ensure they are acutely aware of every child’s developmental needs (through the use of key worker groups) and will use child led learning and in the moment planning to move children’s learning forward.

Child led learning is when a child chooses the activity rather than the adult. The child has control of the activity but the nursery practitioner can adapt their language to gain learning and further the child’s development.

“In the moment” planning is a very simple idea – observing and interacting with children as they pursue their own interests and also assessing and moving the learning on in that moment. The written account of some of these interactions becomes a learning journey. This approach leads to deep level learning and wonderful surprises occur daily.

Staff will plan termly, weekly, daily and in the moment by developing possible lines of enquiry (PLOD’s). These PLOD’s will have been identified via a range of sources including:

Children’s own interest
Developmental gaps
Group planning -
Provocations
Focuses topics
Children’s developing confidences
Children’s needs

Staff will use overarching topics to engage children and to offer ‘Provocations’ for children and their learning.

‘A provocation is simply an activity or stimulus set up to provoke thought, curiosity, exploration and conversation. Provocations come in many forms depending on the stimulus and required outcome, but they are all created with these purposes in mind. These invitations to play are usually set up to help children expand upon an expressed interest, thought or idea, although may occasionally stem from the necessity to practice skills or consolidate learning.’

The nursery and Reception environments will be designed to allow children to explore, investigate, plan and execute their own interests, thoughts, curiosities etc. Resources will be available and on hand and adults will see themselves as an extension to the environment and resource. Adults will plan weekly or daily plans to respond to children’s individual interests. Staff will join learning and expand and develop it.

Curriculum 2024/25

EYFS 2024/25
Term	Area of Learning	Topic	Focus Through this topic children will have opportunity to develop their understanding of:
Autumn 1	An adventure starting School	We’re going on an adventure	The world around them (familiar places/local environment), including themselves including how they have changed over time. Their home and school environment and begin to look at simple maps. The children will begin to learn about the weather and the autumn season (timing dependent).
Autumn 2	People Celebrations	Magical memories	Celebrations/ significant events (Remembrance, Diwali, Christmas, Bonfire night and Hanukkah). Through these events, the children will also learn about materials and light and dark.
Spring 1	People Past Climate Community	Dungeons and dragons	The children will continue to learn about weather and the winter season). (change of state hot and cold) They will compare characters from stories including figures from the past such as polar explorers. They will learn about the polar regions and the impact of climate change. The children will learn about significant members of the community and how they help us.
Spring 2	Living things Natural World Plants and Animals	Just add water	The natural world, including plants (growing) and animals. Looking at growing (life cycles). The children will continue to learn about weather and the Spring season. The children will also learn about the festival of Eid, Holi and Easter.
Summer 1	Past and Present	Bibbity Bobbity Boo	The past. They will identify significant changes over time and make comparisons comparing how people lived in the past including Bolsover castle and its surrounding areas. They will draw on their experiences and what has been read in class whilst developing their map skills to include Bolsover Castle They will also explore the forces they feel (pushes/pulls).
Summer 2	Environments Cultures and Countries	It’s a wonderful world.	The world around them, including people, cultures and other countries further developing their map skills on a global level. Children will look at a range of places and make comparisons. The children will continue to learn about weather and the Summer season.

Knowledge Organisers

These are the topic plans for each term. The teacher's have highlighted what they would hope the children learn in each topic.

Curriculum 2025/26

2025/26
Term	Area of focus	Topic	Description
Autumn 1	Adventure	Alien invasion	Creativity Humankind investigation, processes
Autumn 2	People Celebrations/significant events	Celebrate good times	Humankind Significance Materials
Spring 1	Long ago	Dino Roar	Significance Materials Change comparison
Spring 2	Living things/Plants and Animals	Ready steady grow	Processes Investigation Nature materials
Summer 1	Fantasy	Spells and potions	Creativity Place Investigation processes
Summer 2	Natural World/ways of life	Puddles and Rainbows	Change Nature Place comparison

Knowledge Organisers

These are the topic plans for each term. The teacher's have highlighted what they would hope the children learn in each topic.