Early Years Foundation Stage
"Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child's experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right."
Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, Department for Education 2021
Intent:
At Wessex Gardens, we believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life. We are committed to nurturing confident, curious, and independent learners who are well-prepared for the transition into Key Stage 1 and beyond. Our EYFS curriculum is designed to build strong foundations in both academic success and emotional well-being, ensuring children develop a lifelong love of learning.
Our curriculum aims to:
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Foster a secure, engaging, and inclusive environment where children thrive through exploration and play.
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Develop key skills, knowledge, and understanding that support future learning and personal growth.
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Promote positive learning behaviours through the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning: Play and Exploration, Active Learning, and Creative and Critical Thinking.
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Build strong relationships with families to support children's development both at school and at home.
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Provide a broad and balanced curriculum that celebrates the uniqueness of every child while ensuring they reach their full potential.
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Encourage high aspirations, a love of reading, writing, and mathematics, and a creative approach to problem-solving and thinking.
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Enrich children’s experiences through outings, visitors, and hands-on learning opportunities.
Implementation:
Our EYFS curriculum is delivered through a carefully structured yet flexible approach that meets the needs and interests of our children. We ensure:
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A stimulating and challenging environment that encourages learning through play and hands-on experiences.
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Planning based on children's interests, ensuring engagement and motivation in all areas of learning.
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A balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities to provide appropriate challenge and differentiation.
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Strong partnerships with parents, including home visits, regular workshops, newsletters, and shared reading records.
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High-quality phonics teaching through Pearsons Bug Club to ensure strong early reading outcomes.
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A focus on early mathematical understanding using NCETM Mastering Number and White Rose Maths, encouraging number sense, problem-solving, and the development of mathematical language.
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Daily Maths Meetings in Nursery to establish counting principles and key mathematical skills through songs, rhymes, and play.
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Additional interventions such as Early Talk Boost, targeted phonics, fine motor, and gross motor support to ensure every child reaches their potential.
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A focus on healthy lifestyles, including oral health initiatives such as the Barnet Young Brushing Programme.
Impact:
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Our inclusive approach ensures all children, regardless of background or need, have equal opportunities to thrive and succeed.
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Phonics assessments indicate that the majority of children use their phonics knowledge effectively in reading and writing.
- By the end of Reception, children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) and in 2022, our Good Level of Development (GLD) was 73%, surpassing both the National (65%) and Barnet (63%) averages.
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Children leave EYFS with strong foundations in key areas, ready to transition successfully into Key Stage 1 as confident readers, writers, mathematicians, and inquisitive learners.
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Staff have a strong understanding of how EYFS learning links to the National Curriculum, ensuring a smooth progression in all subjects.
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Pupils develop resilience, perseverance, and self-belief, supported by positive learning behaviours and recognition through initiatives such as Star of the Week assemblies.
