Intent

At Castle Primary School, our EYFS curriculum is designed to recognise children’s prior learning and experiences before joining Reception. We work in close partnership with parents, carers and previous settings to provide the very best start to school life, ensuring every child reaches their full potential from their individual starting points.

Our Early Years provision consists of one EYFS unit with two Reception classes. As we do not have a nursery provision, we place a strong emphasis on effective transition arrangements to ensure children settle quickly and confidently into school life.

Our curriculum is rooted in play, exploration, high-quality interactions and purposeful experiences. We recognise that children learn best when they feel safe, valued and engaged. Our enabling indoor and outdoor environments encourage children to investigate, make choices, develop independence and follow their interests, while adults skilfully extend learning through questioning, modelling and sustained shared thinking.

At Castle Primary School, our curriculum is underpinned by our school values of Resilience, Respect and Reach. We encourage children to become resilient learners who persevere when faced with challenge, show respect for themselves, others and their environment, and strive to reach their full potential. These values are woven throughout daily practice and are reflected in the relationships we build, the learning experiences we provide and the expectations we have for every child. Through play, exploration and collaborative learning, children begin to develop the attitudes and behaviours that will support them throughout their education and beyond.

There is a strong emphasis on the Prime Areas of Learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; and Physical Development. We understand that these areas underpin all future learning and are essential in enabling children to thrive both academically and socially.

At Castle Primary School, we recognise the importance of developing children’s communication and language skills from the outset. Through high-quality interactions, rich vocabulary and purposeful talk opportunities, we support children to become confident communicators and successful learners.

Our enabling indoor and outdoor environments encourage exploration, investigation and sustained shared thinking. We value the unique child and provide opportunities for children to follow their interests while ensuring progression through a carefully sequenced curriculum.

By the end of Reception, our intent is that all children make at least good progress from their starting points and develop the knowledge, skills and characteristics of effective learning needed for a successful transition into Year 1.

Implementation

Each half term, EYFS staff plan engaging themes and learning experiences which inspire children’s curiosity while remaining responsive to their interests and needs. Children learn through a balance of child-initiated play and adult-directed teaching.

The timetable is carefully structured to provide direct teaching in phonics, mathematics and other curriculum areas alongside extended periods of purposeful play. Small group work enables adults to assess understanding, address misconceptions and provide immediate feedback to support progress.

Learning takes place both indoors and outdoors, with equal value placed on both environments. Continuous provision is carefully planned to challenge, engage and extend children’s learning across all areas of the curriculum.

Reading and Early Literacy

Reading lies at the heart of our curriculum. We aim to foster a lifelong love of reading by exposing children to a wide range of high-quality texts, stories, rhymes and non-fiction books.

Children experience:

• Daily story sessions and shared reading opportunities

• Rich vocabulary teaching and language development

• Modelled storytelling and retelling

• Opportunities to develop comprehension skills through discussion and questioning

• Access to engaging books within continuous provision

Texts are carefully selected to develop vocabulary, communication and comprehension skills while reflecting children’s interests and experiences.

Phonics

At Castle Primary School, we follow the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme to ensure a consistent and systematic approach to early reading.

Children participate in daily phonics sessions where they develop:

• Phoneme recognition

• Grapheme-phoneme correspondence

• Oral blending and segmenting

• Reading fluency and comprehension

• Early writing skills

Children are regularly assessed and grouped according to their stage within the programme to ensure teaching is closely matched to need. Those requiring additional support receive timely intervention to enable them to keep up with their peers.

Children take home fully decodable books matched to their phonic knowledge to support reading practice and develop confidence and fluency.

Mathematics

In Reception, we follow the White Rose Maths scheme, providing a structured and progressive approach to developing mathematical understanding.

Children develop fluency and confidence in:

• Number recognition and composition

• Counting principles

• Subitising

• Comparison and pattern

• Shape, space and measure

• Problem solving and reasoning

Learning is supported through practical experiences, mathematical talk, games and the use of concrete resources. Key concepts are revisited regularly to deepen understanding and secure learning.

Communication and Language

Communication and language development is prioritised across the curriculum. Staff model high-quality language and provide opportunities for children to listen, speak and express their ideas confidently.

Every child completes a Language Link assessment to identify their level of language development. Where appropriate, Speech Link is used to assess speech development and identify children who may benefit from targeted intervention.

Wider Curriculum

The wider curriculum is delivered through meaningful experiences that develop children’s knowledge and understanding of the world and their creativity.

Children are encouraged to:

• Explore and investigate

• Ask questions and develop their own ideas

• Make observations and notice changes

• Develop an understanding of the natural and wider world

• Experiment with materials and creative processes

• Express themselves through art, music, movement and imaginative play

Learning is carefully linked across the seven areas of the EYFS curriculum so that children can make meaningful connections between their knowledge and experiences.

Inclusion and Personalisation

Our curriculum is designed to be ambitious and accessible to all children. Practitioners use assessment and their knowledge of individual children to identify barriers to learning and adapt provision accordingly.

Targeted interventions, additional adult support and carefully planned adaptations are used where necessary. Children are supported to participate fully in the curriculum while maintaining high expectations for their learning and development.

Staff engage in ongoing professional development to strengthen subject knowledge, pedagogy and understanding of child development, ensuring consistently high-quality provision.

Impact

Children at Castle Primary School leave Reception as confident, resilient and enthusiastic learners who are ready for the next stage of their education.

The impact of our EYFS curriculum is evident not only in children's academic outcomes, but also in the way they embody our school values of Resilience, Respect and Reach, demonstrating confidence, independence, positive relationships and a readiness for future learning.

Baseline Assessment 

Prior to children starting school, staff gather information from parents, carers and previous settings to develop an understanding of each child’s needs and experiences.

During the first weeks of Reception, staff complete baseline assessments through observations, interactions and professional judgement. The statutory Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is also completed.

Ongoing Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning within EYFS.

Practitioners use:

• Daily observations

• Professional discussions

• Learning conversations with children

• Evidence from independent and adult-led activities

Assessment information is used to identify next steps and inform planning to ensure all children make progress.

Children’s learning and achievements are shared with families through Tapestry, strengthening home-school partnerships and celebrating successes.

Assessment data and progress are monitored using Insight to ensure that all children are supported effectively and that any gaps in learning are identified promptly.

Phonics and Additional Assessments

Regular Read Write Inc. assessments are carried out to monitor progress and ensure children receive the support needed to become confident readers.

Every child completes a Language Link assessment, with Speech Link used where appropriate to identify speech needs and inform targeted support.

At the end of Reception, practitioners complete the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP), assessing children against the Early Learning Goals as either ‘Emerging’ or ‘Expected’.

Successful transition into Year 1 demonstrates the impact of our EYFS curriculum. Children leave Reception with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to continue their learning journey and flourish both academically and personally.