Our Early Years Leader

Mrs Gray

Our Early Years Support Staff

Miss Jones & Miss Hauxwell

Intent

As adults we support our children by:

  • fostering a desire to learn by nurturing active questioning and an awareness of the world around them.
  • encouraging children to express their thoughts and ideas in a variety of situations.
  • helping children to become competent speakers and listeners.
  • developing confidence by praising success and encouraging effort.
  • learning through play and experience learning firsthand.

Our Curriculum

Our early years setting follows the curriculum as outlined in the 2025 statutory framework of the EYFS.

There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early year’s settings. All areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

The three PRIME AREAS are:

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

In addition to these prime areas there are four specific areas which include essential skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society.

The four SPECIFIC AREAS are:

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

These areas are cohesively delivered throughout the topic. They are equally important and depend on each other. All areas are delivered through a balance of adult led and child-initiated activities.

The EYFS classes have their own outdoor areas that are used all year round, in all weathers. Being outdoors encourages learning in different ways. It offers the children more opportunities to be creative and explore on a larger scale as well as to be physically active linking the indoors and outdoors together.

In addition to the areas of learning, we strive for our children to develop effective Characteristics of Effective Learning which will enable them to become learners for life.

Playing and Exploring – Children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’

Active Learning – Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements

Creating and Thinking Critically – Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things

Implementation

The EYFS is based upon four principles:

  • Every child is a unique child gifted from God, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, confident and self-assured;
  • Children learn to be confident, strong and independent through positive relationships;
  • Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers;
  • Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.

Hear from Our Pupils

Impact

Through implementing the above:

  • Children’s progress is at least good from their varied starting points
  • Children reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Reception year
  • Evidence of children’s achievements are recorded in a combination of paper and online Learning Journals
  • Class teachers make formative assessments which inform in the moment or future planning and ensure that all pupils build on their current knowledge and skills at a good pace

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Enriching Our Learning

We love bringing learning alive for our children, giving them opportunities to see the world beyond the school gates. We take them out on trips as often as possible. 

Our Trip to Hardwick Park 

Reception had a wonderful visit to Hardwick Park to celebrate the end of our Traditional Tales topic. We stepped into “Once Upon a Fairy Tale” as we climbed a beanstalk, applied our maths skills to build sturdy stick houses for the Three Little Pigs, and used our fine motor skills to create our own clay trolls.

We explored the natural world, observing seasonal changes all around us, and rounded off our adventure with a fun-filled session in the play park, developing our physical skills as we enjoyed the different apparatus.

A magical day of learning and imagination! We love providing our children with enriching experiences beyond our school gates that enhance their learning.

Our Trip to Hopetown 

When learning about the 200S&DR, we visited Hopetown in Darlington where we saw real trains and Skerne Bridge!