Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Wildridings Primary School:

Laying the Foundations for Lifelong Learning

At Wildridings Primary School, we are committed to giving every child the best start in life by providing a nurturing, language-rich and stimulating environment where they feel safe, valued, and eager to learn. Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum is carefully designed to support children’s early development, laying strong foundations for future learning, emotional well-being, and long-term success.

Rooted in the principles of the EYFS Statutory Framework, our approach recognises the importance of warm relationships, purposeful play, and high-quality adult interaction. We create a space where children can build confidence, develop independence, and feel secure to take risks and explore the world around them.

At the heart of our EYFS provision is a strong focus on communication and language, the cornerstone of early learning. We prioritise oracy, vocabulary development and high-quality interactions throughout the day to strengthen children’s ability to express themselves, listen to others, and engage meaningfully in learning. This provides a solid platform for children’s well-being and all other areas of learning.

Our Early Years curriculum is broad, balanced and thoughtfully designed to support every aspect of a child's development. Children explore all seven areas of learning, with particular emphasis on personal, social and emotional development, physical development, and rich communication and language experiences.

Our indoor and outdoor environments are carefully planned to encourage independence, curiosity, and creativity. Children are given the freedom to make choices, follow their interests, and engage in meaningful, hands-on learning.

We embed the Characteristics of Effective Learning—Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically—through everything we do. These key behaviours help children to become motivated, resilient learners who enjoy taking on new challenges, working through problems, and celebrating their achievements.

By the time children leave our EYFS, they are confident learners with a positive sense of self, secure foundations in key skills, and a love of learning that will support them throughout their school journey and beyond.

The Areas of Learning in the EYFS Curriculum

The EYFS curriculum covers seven key areas of learning, each designed to promote all aspects of a child’s development:

1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED): Children learn to manage their feelings, form positive relationships, and develop a sense of responsibility and independence.
2. Communication and Language (CL): This area focuses on developing children’s listening, understanding, and oracy skills, helping them to express themselves and communicate effectively.
3. Physical Development (PD): Through a wide range of activities, children develop their fine and gross motor skills, promoting physical health, coordination, and strength.
4. Literacy: Early reading and writing skills are developed through phonics, storytelling, and exploration of books and print, laying the building blocks for continuing literacy development.
5. Mathematics: Children engage with numbers, shapes, patterns, and simple problem-solving tasks, building foundational mathematical understanding and reasoning skills.
6. Understanding the World (UW): This area encourages children to explore the world around them, developing curiosity about nature, the environment, technology, and the wider world.
7. Expressive Arts and Design (EAD): Children engage in creative activities such as drawing, painting, music, dance, and imaginative play, supporting their ability to express their ideas and emotions.

Our Commitment to Parents

We value the uniqueness of every child and work in close partnership with families to understand their needs, celebrate their strengths and support their development. We believe that strong partnerships between school and home are vital in supporting a child’s development. We actively involve parents in their child’s learning journey, regularly sharing updates through our day to day interactions at drop-off and pick-up times, Tapestry (our on-line learning journal), parent consultations, and open days. By working together, we ensure that each child’s individual needs are met and that they have the best possible start to their education.