Intent

Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is committed to providing a high-quality education that forms the bedrock of children’s learning. Our intent is to ensure that all children develop a strong foundation in the key areas of learning and are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and personal attributes necessary for future success.

We aim to:

Foster a love for learning by creating a stimulating and engaging environment that ignites curiosity and exploration.

Promote the development of key communication, language, and literacy skills through rich interactions and diverse storytelling experiences.

Encourage children to express themselves creatively through play and the arts, nurturing their emotional and social development alongside academic progress.

Support independence and resilience through carefully planned activities that challenge and motivate children, allowing them to take ownership of their own learning journeys.

Cultivate respect for diversity and inclusion, ensuring every child feels valued and understood within a supportive community.

Implementation

Our implementation focusses on delivering a rich, tailored curriculum that adheres to the statutory requirements of the EYFS framework while also being responsive to the unique needs and interests of our children.

Key strategies include:

Curriculum Planning: We offer a curriculum which balances structure and exploration through play. We highly value the impact of a play-based curriculum and savour the ‘wow’ moments that occur with children’s natural levels of intrigue and curiosity. Where possible, we promote the use of real-life resources to allow children the opportunity to engage with things that they will encounter in the world around them.

Prime Areas
Personal, Social and Emotional Development		Physical Development		Communication and Language
Self Regulation Managing Self Building Relationships		Gross Motor Skills Fine Motor Skills		Listening, Attention and Understanding Speaking
Specific Areas
Literacy	Mathematics		Understanding the World		Expressive Arts and Design
Comprehension Word Reading Writing	Number Number Pattern		Past and Present People, Culture and Communities The Natural World		Creating with Materials Being Imaginative and Expressive

Environment: Both our Nursery (FS1) and Reception (FS2) environments are carefully planned, resourced and adapted to suit the needs and interests of the children we teach. Our setting is designed to promote independent learning, where children feel, safe, motivated and confident. The activities build on and extend upon their interests and develop their intellectual, physical, social and emotional abilities.

 

• Assessment for Learning: Our approach to assessment is continuous and formative, allowing staff to track progress and tailor learning experiences accordingly. We maintain secure and up-to-date records of each child’s achievements, strengths, and next steps in learning, which are shared with parents to foster collaboration and support.
• Professional Development: Our staff are well-trained and regularly engage in professional development opportunities to enhance their pedagogical skills in Early Years Education. This includes training in inclusive practices, safeguarding, and the latest educational research, ensuring our provision is of the highest standard.
• Parental Engagement: We recognise that parents and carers are their child’s first teachers and believe that they have an important role in working in partnership with us. We actively involve parents and carers in their children’s learning, using open communication and regular updates to children’s online learning journeys – class dojo. We believe that strong partnerships with families enhance children’s overall development and wellbeing.
• Catholic Life: We promote a learning culture where all children feel safe, secure and valued and actively encourage children to develop resilience.  As a Christian community, the Gospel teachings form the basis upon which all of what we teach is built. We believe that each child is unique and created in the image of God.

Impact

The impact of our Early Years Foundation Stage provision can be seen through the progress and achievements of our children as they develop the skills and competencies necessary for a successful transition to Key Stage 1 and beyond.

Our success is evidenced by:

• Outcomes: Children make accelerated progress from their starting points, with a significant number achieving a "Good Level of Development".
• Engagement: Children exhibit high levels of enthusiasm and engagement in their learning, demonstrated by their willingness to participate actively and collaboratively in a range of activities.

 

                              

• Personal Development: Our children emerge as confident, curious, and resilient learners, equipped with social skills that enable them to form positive relationships with peers and adults.
• Wellbeing: Children show emotional security and mental wellbeing, feeling safe and valued within the school community, which is reflected in their behaviour and attitudes.                   

                                               

• Parental Satisfaction: Parents express high levels of satisfaction with the education their children receive, actively supporting school initiatives and engaging in their children's learning journeys.     

 

In conclusion, St Bernadette’s is dedicated to achieving excellence in our EYFS provision, ensuring that every child is nurtured, challenged, and prepared for future success. Through effective implementation of our curriculum, a supportive learning environment, and strong partnerships with families, we strive to deliver an outstanding educational experience that meets the needs of all children in our care.                                                 

Click below to see an overview of our EYFS Curriculum Goals. For more details about our EYFS curriculum and how it provides the foundations for the National Curriculum, see the specific subject pages at the bottom of 'Our Curriculum Page'