At Overdale Community Primary School we see the Early Years Foundation Stage as crucial in securing solid foundations that our children continue to build on. This is so important as we know that; what our children learn in these first years of life will stay with them forever and children’s early education is the best investment we can make in ensuring their future success.

Our practice in the EYFS is led by the four guiding principles that shape our approach at Overdale.

- Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

- Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.

- Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers.

- The importance of learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates. (See “the characteristics of effective teaching and learning” DFE, statutory framework at paragraph 1.15). The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

We follow the EYFS curriculum and ensure that the learning opportunities and experiences we provide are clearly linked to the seven areas of learning and development, all of which are seen as important and interconnected but three of these areas are seen as particularly important for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, for building their capacity to learn and form relationships and thrive (Dfe 2021:pp 7/8), they support children’s learning in all other areas, they are known as the Prime Areas.

The Prime Areas are;

- Communication and Language

- Personal, Social and Emotional Development

- Physical Development

The specific areas of learning develop essential skills and knowledge. The specific areas are;

- Literacy

- Mathematics

- Understanding the World

- Expressive Arts and Design

Throughout all areas of learning and at the heart of the EYFS are the “Characteristics of Effective Learning.” We strive to develop these key characteristics as they highlight the importance of a child’s attitude to learning and their ability to play, explore and think critically about the world around them.

The three characteristics are;

- Playing and Exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’

- Active Learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements

- Creating and Thinking Critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

Our children in EYFS learn in a stimulating environment with high quality provision areas inside and outdoors. Our EYFS curriculum is developed with clear end points that are the foundations to the National curriculum.  Our whole school curriculum is from EYFS to Year 6 and is sequenced so that practitioners know what fundamental components are required for the next stage in our pupil’s education.  Through exciting provision, the highest quality Early Years’ experience is delivered by establishing a firm foundation on which to build future academic, enterprising, social and emotional successes focusing particularly on well-being, attitudes to learning, vocabulary and early reading. High aspirations are instilled in our pupils from a very early age and pupil’s self-belief and ownership of learning allow them to take risk and develop resilience on a daily basis. Our curriculum progression documents are at the bottom of this page.

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