Most children have their first experience away from their immediate family and friends when they come to an Early Years setting. Early Years settings are at the heart of their local communities. They provide safe and nurturing spaces for children to play and learn together. Children learn about respecting other people, co-operating and sharing. They learn about being true to themselves and respecting the rights of others.
Intent
For many children, joining our Early Years provision marks their first experience away from close family and familiar surroundings. Our EYFS setting sits at the heart of the community adjoining the Children’s Centre, offering a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment where children can begin to build relationships, explore their world, and develop a sense of belonging. Through play and interaction, children learn to cooperate, share, express themselves, and respect others; laying the foundations for lifelong learning and personal development.
At Fairway School, we believe every child deserves the best possible start. Our EYFS curriculum is designed to support the development of the whole child; physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and culturally. Across our 2–3 year-old nursery, 3–4 year-old nursery, and Reception class, we provide a rich, play-based learning experience tailored to each child’s stage of development. Children are encouraged to explore, investigate, and solve problems both independently and collaboratively, at their own pace.
Our curriculum is underpinned by the school’s core values of co-operation, respect, honesty, responsibility, self-discipline, and courage. These values are embedded in daily interactions and learning experiences, helping children to build positive relationships, develop emotional resilience, and grow into thoughtful, confident individuals.
We aim to create an environment and build relationships that nurture curiosity, confidence, and individual strengths, regardless of background or need. Our curriculum supports children to grow physically, verbally, cognitively, and emotionally, while fostering a love of learning and a positive attitude towards school.
Teaching and learning are carefully planned to reflect the diverse experiences of our children. We offer stimulating indoor and outdoor environments that promote exploration and discovery. Our approach balances adult-led and child-initiated learning, guided by children’s interests and developmental needs. This ensures that all children make meaningful progress and are supported in reaching their next steps.
In line with our whole-school improvement priorities, we place a strong emphasis on high quality oracy across the Early Years curriculum. We provide a language rich environment where children are supported to develop the vocabulary, confidence, and communication skills needed to articulate their thoughts and ideas effectively in a range of contexts. This focus on oracy is woven into all areas of learning and supported through adult modelling, storytelling, singing, and sustained shared thinking. We provide a language-rich environment where children are supported to develop the vocabulary, confidence express themselves, listen actively, and engage in a wide range of communication experiences.
Physical development is embedded throughout the curriculum, helping children build strength, coordination, and confidence in movement; skills that support both learning and wellbeing.
We work in close partnership with parents and carers to ensure children feel happy, secure, and supported. Our goal is for every child to flourish, make strong progress from their starting points, and be well-prepared to meet the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage.
Implementation
At Fairway School, we implement the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum in line with the Statutory Framework, which outlines the key requirements for learning and development. Our curriculum is structured around the seven areas of learning, divided into three prime areas and four specific areas. These are supported by the Development Matters guidance, which helps us tailor learning experiences to meet the developmental needs of each child.
Prime Areas of Learning
These are the foundational areas that children develop first and are essential for future learning:
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Communication and Language – developing listening, attention, understanding, and speaking skills.
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Physical Development – building gross and fine motor skills.
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Personal, Social and Emotional Development – fostering self-regulation, independence, and positive relationships.
Specific Areas of Learning
Once children have made progress in the prime areas, we support development in:
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Literacy – including comprehension, reading, and writing.
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Mathematics – focusing on number and numerical patterns.
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Understanding the World – exploring past and present, people, cultures, communities, and the natural world.
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Expressive Arts and Design – encouraging creativity, imagination, and expression through materials and movement.
When children join our 2–3 year-old nursery class, we prioritise the prime areas to support their early development and transition into the setting. As they grow and progress, we gradually introduce the specific areas, ensuring a balanced and developmentally appropriate curriculum across the 3–4 year-old nursery and Reception classes.
Our approach is child centred and follows a ‘planning in the moment’ model. We create enabling environments that are thoughtfully resourced to reflect children’s interests, needs, and stages of development. Practitioners engage with children during play, observing and identifying ‘teachable moments’ to extend learning. They model language, introduce new concepts, and support children’s thinking in ways that build on their current understanding and motivation.
Throughout the year, each Early Years class explores six key topics:
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Autumn 1 |
Autumn 2 |
Spring 1 |
Spring 2 |
Summer 1 |
Summer 2 |
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Nursery |
Feelings, family and community
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Recycling and the environment
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People who help us |
Once upon a time |
Life cycles and nature |
Our world |
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Reception |
Let’s explore |
Marvellous machines |
Long ago |
Read, steady grow |
Animal safari |
On the beach |
Exploring these topics throughout the year helps children make meaningful connections between their learning and the world around them. The themed approach provides a familiar structure that supports vocabulary development, deepens understanding, and encourages curiosity. It also allows children to revisit and build on concepts over time, promoting progression in knowledge and skills. By linking learning to real life experiences and interests, children are more engaged and motivated, which supports both their academic and personal development.
Children are given time and space to make choices and explore both indoors and outdoors. Our continuous provision includes open-ended resources that inspire creativity, problem solving, and imaginative thinking. This approach ensures that every child is supported to develop holistically and make meaningful progress in their learning journey.
In the 3–4 year-old nursery class, once children have settled and are ready, they will begin to take part in short, focused carpet sessions for phonics and early maths, alongside continuous provision that supports learning through play. In the Reception class, children engage in longer, more structured carpet based sessions for phonics, maths, and topic-based learning, while still benefiting from rich opportunities for exploration and child initiated activities throughout the day.
Impact
At Fairway School, our Early Years provision aims to nurture confident, capable learners who are well prepared for the next stage of their education and life beyond school. Children experience a smooth and supportive transition across the 2–3 year-old nursery, 3–4 year-old nursery, and Reception classes, with strong communication and collaboration between staff ensuring continuity and progression. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children leave with a secure foundation of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that support future learning.
We use learning journals across the EYFS to celebrate and document each child’s achievements. These journals provide meaningful insights for families and help strengthen the home-school partnership. Assessment is rooted in careful observation, allowing staff to plan responsively and meet individual needs. Regular internal moderation ensures consistency and accuracy in our judgments, while staff also engage in external training and professional dialogue with other settings to maintain high standards and confidence in assessment practices.
Our approach ensures that children make strong progress from their starting points and are well prepared to achieve the Early Learning Goals, with a focus on holistic development and a love of learning.
