We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework which covers expectations for children from birth to five years of age.

The EYFS Framework (Development Matters) explains how and what your child will be learning to support their healthy development. Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development. These 7 areas are used to plan your child’s learning and activities. The professionals teaching and supporting your child will make sure that the activities are suited to your child’s unique needs. This is a little bit like a curriculum in primary and secondary schools, but it's suitable for very young children, and it's designed to be really flexible so that staff can follow your child's unique needs and interests. Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.

The Early Years Foundation Stage follows a principled approach under four themes:

- A Unique Child

- Positive Relationships

- Enabling Environments

- Learning and Development

Children work towards the Early Learning Goals across seven areas of learning.

The three prime areas are crucial for igniting curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving.

The three Prime Areas are:

• Communication and language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Alongside these areas there are four Specific Areas, through which the Prime Areas are strengthened and applied.

The four Specific Areas are:

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

The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum underpins all future learning by supporting, fostering, promoting and developing children’s positive attitudes towards their education. We use well planned, play based, active learning, both indoors and outdoors, which is a key way in which young children learn with enjoyment and challenge. Ongoing observations of learning by staff inform next steps on a daily basis. Our enabling environment allows children opportunities to both direct their learning through play and to work on focused activities with supporting adults. Using a range of both child- initiated and adult- led activities helps our children to develop confidence, concentration, co-operation, curiosity, creativity, independence, self- esteem, the ability to communicate as well as enthusiasm and enjoyment for learning.

The Nursery and Reception team work very closely together, in constant discussion and communication, to ensure progression and consistently across the curriculum. In addition, we plan for individual needs, different learning styles and the interests of our children. We encourage our children to take ownership of their learning, and 'have a go', which provides them with the motivation to use their independent learning skills whilst also developing their creativity and imagination.

Our approach to teaching and learning is consistent across Nursery and Reception and we have a good balance between adult and child-led activities. The children have times when they are directly taught as a whole class, in small groups or 1:1 where reading, writing, communication and number skills can be developed. Our rooms and resources are organised and planned so that children can explore and experiment in a safe and enabling environment whilst having the opportunity to apply and consolidate their skills across a range of learning areas.