Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

"Inspiring all to shine."

Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Berkswell Church of England Primary School, where every child is valued as a unique individual and encouraged to develop a lifelong love of learning.

Our Nursery (FS1) and Reception (FS2) classes provide a nurturing, inspiring and stimulating environment where children feel safe, happy and confident to explore, investigate and take on new challenges. We believe that children learn best through meaningful experiences, purposeful play and positive relationships, enabling them to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Our carefully designed curriculum builds progressively from Nursery through to Reception, ensuring children develop the knowledge, skills and vocabulary needed for future success across all seven areas of learning: Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design. These areas are thoughtfully interwoven through exciting topics, high-quality texts, purposeful play and first-hand experiences, allowing children to make meaningful connections and become confident, curious learners.

Our indoor and outdoor learning environments are an integral part of our curriculum. Children enjoy daily opportunities to investigate, create, problem solve and collaborate through carefully planned experiences that promote curiosity, resilience and independence. Whether constructing, growing plants, caring for wildlife, creating artwork or exploring mathematical ideas, every experience is designed to inspire a love of learning.

As a Church of England school, our Christian vision of "Inspiring all to shine" is woven throughout daily life. Guided by our values of Love, Togetherness and Aspiration, we encourage every child to become kind, respectful and courageous, recognising that they can make a positive difference within our school and the wider community.

We value the strong partnership between home and school and believe that children achieve their very best when families and staff work together. We look forward to welcoming you into our EYFS family and sharing the wonderful experiences that make learning at Berkswell so special.

Our Vision in Early Years

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, our vision, "Inspiring all to shine," is at the heart of everything we do. In our Early Years, we believe that every child is a unique individual, created with their own gifts, talents and potential. We are committed to providing a nurturing, inclusive and inspiring environment where every child feels safe, valued and encouraged to flourish.

Guided by our values of Love, Togetherness and Aspiration, we foster warm relationships, encourage curiosity and celebrate every achievement. We inspire children to become confident communicators, resilient learners and kind, respectful members of our school community.

Through meaningful play, rich first-hand experiences and an ambitious curriculum, we nurture children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development while encouraging them to care for one another and the world around them. Through opportunities such as Courageous Advocacy, children learn that even the smallest actions can make a positive difference, helping them to become compassionate, responsible citizens who are ready to contribute to their community and beyond.

Together, we create strong foundations that enable every child to flourish, develop a lifelong love of learning and truly shine.

EYFS Overview

Inclusion in EYFS

EYFS Curriculum and Assessment

Our EYFS Curriculum

Our Early Years curriculum has been carefully designed to provide children with the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to become confident, independent and successful learners. It is ambitious, progressive and builds sequentially from Nursery through to Reception, ensuring every child is well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The curriculum is rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework and is organised through the seven areas of learning:

Communication and Language
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design

Learning is carefully planned to build on children's prior experiences and interests. Each half term, children explore exciting themes supported by high-quality texts, rich vocabulary and meaningful first-hand experiences. Knowledge and skills are revisited regularly, enabling children to remember more and make links across different areas of learning.

Our curriculum balances carefully planned adult-led teaching with high-quality continuous provision, giving children daily opportunities to explore, investigate, practise new skills and apply their learning independently. Through purposeful play, adults skilfully extend children's thinking, deepen understanding and provide appropriate challenge to move learning forward.

Communication and language underpin every aspect of our curriculum. Alongside this, we place equal importance on developing children's mathematical understanding, physical development, creativity, curiosity and understanding of the world through practical, hands-on experiences.

We place a strong emphasis on developing the physical foundations for writing. Through our progressive handwriting readiness programme, children develop the gross motor strength, fine motor control and pencil grip needed to become confident writers.

Learning extends far beyond the classroom. Our curriculum is enriched through outdoor learning, educational visits, visitors, performances and opportunities to engage with the local community, enabling children to apply their learning in meaningful contexts and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Throughout the curriculum, we encourage children to become curious thinkers, enthusiastic explorers, resilient learners and compassionate members of our school community. By the end of Reception, children have developed the knowledge, skills and confidence to make a successful transition into Year 1.

Assessment in EYFS

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, assessment is an integral part of everyday teaching and learning. It helps us understand each child's individual strengths, celebrate their achievements and identify the next steps in their learning. Our aim is to ensure that every child makes excellent progress from their own starting point.

Assessment is ongoing and takes place through high-quality interactions, careful observation, children's independent learning and the work they produce. Our experienced practitioners use these observations alongside professional knowledge to gain a complete picture of each child's development across all seven areas of learning.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework and use Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters to support our professional judgements and curriculum planning. These documents help us identify where children are in their learning journey and ensure that teaching is carefully matched to each child's needs.

Assessment is not about testing children. Instead, it is about recognising what children know, understand and can do within their everyday play and learning. Adults use this information to adapt teaching, provide appropriate challenge and ensure every child is supported to reach their full potential.

Throughout the year, we regularly review each child's progress and use assessment to:

celebrate achievements and recognise progress
identify individual next steps
inform future planning and teaching
provide timely support or intervention where needed
ensure children are ready for the next stage of learning

We believe that parents and carers are children's first educators, and we value the important role they play in the assessment process. We work closely with families by sharing learning, celebrating successes and encouraging parents to tell us about achievements and experiences from home. This partnership helps us build a complete understanding of every child and ensures that learning is meaningful both at school and at home.

At the end of the Reception year, teachers complete the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP). This statutory assessment provides a summary of each child's attainment across the Early Learning Goals and supports a smooth transition into Year 1.

Through high-quality assessment and strong partnerships with families, we ensure that every child is known as an individual and is supported to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Continuous provision in Early Years

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, we believe that children learn best when they have opportunities to explore, investigate, create and practise new skills through purposeful play. Continuous Provision is at the heart of our Early Years curriculum, providing a carefully planned environment where children revisit, apply and deepen the learning introduced during adult-led teaching.

Every area of our provision has been intentionally designed with a clear learning purpose. Resources are thoughtfully selected and organised to encourage children to become independent, curious and confident learners. Rather than simply providing activities to keep children busy, each area supports the development of specific knowledge, skills and vocabulary across all seven areas of learning.

Our practitioners play a vital role within the provision. They carefully observe children's interests, extend learning through high-quality interactions and provide timely support and challenge to move learning forward. Through approaches such as ShREC, the STAIRS model and sustained shared thinking, adults introduce ambitious vocabulary, encourage children to explain their thinking, solve problems and make meaningful connections across their learning.

Our Continuous Provision develops progressively from Nursery through to Reception. As children grow in confidence and independence, resources, challenges and expectations become increasingly ambitious, ensuring learning continues to build on prior knowledge and prepares children for the next stage of their education.

Children have daily opportunities to access a wide range of carefully planned learning environments, including:

Construction and engineering
Mathematics investigation
Reading and writing
Creative arts and design
Small world and storytelling
Role play and imaginative play
Investigation and discovery
Sand, water and mud play
Fine motor development
Outdoor learning

Each area encourages children to think creatively, collaborate with others, solve problems, communicate ideas and become increasingly independent. Carefully planned enhancements ensure learning remains exciting, purposeful and responsive to children's interests while building the knowledge and skills identified within our curriculum.

Fine motor development is embedded throughout our continuous provision. Children have daily opportunities to strengthen the muscles needed for writing through carefully planned activities such as threading, tweezers, play dough, construction, cutting, finger gym challenges and mark making. These experiences form part of our progressive handwriting readiness curriculum, ensuring children develop the physical skills required for successful writing.

Continuous Provision also provides countless opportunities for children to develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning. Children learn by playing and exploring, actively engaging in meaningful experiences and creating and thinking critically as they investigate, test ideas, persevere through challenges and reflect on their learning.

Through this balance of adult-led teaching and high-quality play, children develop secure foundations across all areas of learning while fostering a love of discovery that prepares them not only for Year 1, but for lifelong learning.

In our Early Years classrooms, play is never 'just play'. Every experience is carefully planned to develop children's knowledge, skills, confidence and independence. Through play, children explore, practise, apply and master the learning that will support them throughout their education.

Progression of skills

EYFS Outdoor Learning

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, we believe some of the richest learning happens outdoors. Our outdoor environment is not simply an extension of the classroom; it is a carefully designed learning space that delivers an ambitious curriculum through exploration, investigation, creativity and first-hand experiences.

Children access our outdoor learning environment every day, whatever the season. Carefully planned experiences enable them to develop knowledge, skills and vocabulary across all seven areas of learning while promoting curiosity, independence, resilience and wellbeing. Open-ended resources encourage children to think creatively, solve problems, collaborate with others and revisit learning in meaningful contexts.

Our outdoor curriculum has been purposefully designed to develop the Prime Areas of Learning while providing rich opportunities to apply learning across the wider curriculum. Through construction, water exploration, den building, investigation, role play, mathematics, literacy and expressive arts, children become active learners who are confident to take risks, persevere through challenges and develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning.

Children have opportunities to:

investigate, question and solve real-life problems
develop gross and fine motor skills through climbing, balancing, digging, transporting and tool use
explore mathematics through measuring, counting, estimating and problem solving
communicate, negotiate and collaborate through imaginative play and shared projects
develop early scientific enquiry by predicting, testing, observing and explaining
read, write and communicate for meaningful purposes within play
care for plants, animals and the environment, developing an understanding of sustainability and stewardship

Outdoor learning is enriched through seasonal exploration, gardening, growing plants, wildlife investigations, environmental projects and first-hand experiences that encourage children to become curious about the world around them. Our children learn that they have an important role in caring for God's world and are provided with meaningful opportunities to become Courageous Advocates, making a positive difference within their school and local community.

Our environment has been carefully developed to include areas that promote investigation, creativity, physical development and collaborative learning. Open-ended resources, natural materials and purposeful enhancements allow children to revisit previously taught knowledge, practise new skills and extend their own ideas through independent exploration.

Outdoor learning also provides valuable opportunities for children to develop confidence, resilience and independence. Whether constructing large-scale models, designing water systems, investigating habitats, creating imaginative worlds or solving mathematical challenges, children are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, reflect on their ideas and celebrate their achievements.

By providing daily opportunities to learn outdoors, we inspire children to become confident explorers, creative thinkers and active learners who develop a deep appreciation of the natural world and a lifelong enthusiasm for learning.

Our outdoor environment is a place where children investigate, create, collaborate and flourish. Every resource, every space and every experience has been carefully planned to inspire curiosity, develop independence and ensure children learn through meaningful, real-life experiences.

Physical Development and Handwriting

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, we believe that children need to be physically ready before they are expected to write. Writing begins long before a child picks up a pencil. It starts with developing strong bodies, confident movement and the fine motor control needed to manipulate tools with increasing precision.

Our Physical Development curriculum is carefully sequenced from Nursery through to Reception, ensuring children progressively develop the strength, coordination and control needed for both everyday life and future learning. Through carefully planned experiences indoors and outdoors, children build the physical foundations that enable them to become confident, independent learners.

Building Strong Foundations

Physical Development is one of the three Prime Areas of Learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage and underpins children's success across the curriculum.

Every day, children have opportunities to develop:

Core strength and stability
Shoulder, arm and wrist strength
Balance, coordination and body awareness
Gross motor skills through climbing, balancing, running, jumping and large-scale movement
Fine motor skills through carefully planned activities that strengthen the muscles needed for writing
Independence through dressing, using cutlery, fastening clothing and managing personal care

These physical skills support children's confidence, concentration, posture and readiness for writing.

Our Handwriting Readiness Journey

We recognise that handwriting develops progressively. Rather than focusing solely on letter formation, we carefully teach the physical skills that children need before they can write comfortably and accurately.

Children move through a carefully planned progression, developing:

whole-body strength and coordination
shoulder stability and upper body control
hand and finger strength
increasing pencil control
efficient pencil grip
correct letter formation
fluent, confident handwriting

By building these foundations first, children develop good writing habits that support them throughout their education.

Learning Through Play

Handwriting readiness is embedded throughout our continuous provision. Children strengthen their muscles and coordination every day through purposeful, engaging activities such as:

threading and weaving
tweezers and peg activities
playdough and clay modelling
cutting and joining materials
construction and small-world play
painting and creative exploration
puzzles and manipulative games
mark making on a range of scales and surfaces
digging, transporting, lifting and building outdoors

These experiences develop the strength, control and coordination required for successful writing while remaining enjoyable and meaningful.

From Sounds to Writing

As children begin learning phonics, they are introduced to our bespoke handwriting phrases, carefully matched to each Floppy's Phonics mnemonic. These memorable phrases help children make meaningful connections between the sound, the picture and the correct letter formation.

By linking what children hear, what they see and how they move, children develop greater confidence, improve letter recall and establish accurate formation from the very beginning of their writing journey.

Supporting Every Child

Every child develops physically at their own pace. Our skilled practitioners carefully observe children's development and adapt activities to provide the right level of support and challenge. Through high-quality interactions, carefully planned provision and targeted interventions where needed, we ensure that every child is supported to develop the physical skills required for successful writing and lifelong learning.

Working Together with Families

Parents play an important role in developing physical skills at home. Everyday activities such as climbing at the park, riding bikes and scooters, playing with construction toys, threading beads, using playdough, drawing, painting, helping in the kitchen and practising dressing independently all contribute to children's physical development and handwriting readiness.

By working together, we ensure children develop the confidence, strength and coordination they need to become happy, successful writers.

Our Handwriting Readiness Progression

Our progressive approach ensures children develop the physical skills needed for writing before expecting sustained pencil work.

Gross Motor Development

Develop core strength, balance and coordination.
Build shoulder stability through climbing, pushing, pulling and large-scale movements.
Improve posture, body control and bilateral coordination.
Develop upper body strength to support controlled handwriting.

Fine Motor Development

Strengthen fingers and hands through purposeful play.
Develop increasing dexterity using a range of tools and materials.
Refine hand-eye coordination and precision.
Build independence when manipulating everyday objects.

Pencil Grip and Letter Formation

Follow a carefully planned progression of pencil grips from early grasping through to an efficient tripod grip.
Learn correct letter formation using our bespoke handwriting phrases linked to Floppy's Phonics mnemonics.
Apply handwriting skills within meaningful reading and writing opportunities.

At Berkswell, we understand that strong writers are first strong movers. By prioritising physical development, providing a progressive handwriting readiness curriculum and embedding fine and gross motor development throughout our continuous provision, we ensure every child develops the confidence, control and coordination needed to become a successful writer. Our approach supports not only handwriting, but also children's independence, wellbeing and readiness for learning, creating strong foundations that will benefit them throughout their education.

Communication and Language

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, we believe that communication is the foundation for all learning. Before children can become successful readers, writers and mathematicians, they need to be confident listeners, thoughtful communicators and active participants in conversation.

Our Communication and Language curriculum is carefully sequenced from Nursery through to Reception, providing children with rich opportunities to develop their Listening, Attention and Understanding and Speaking skills through meaningful interactions, purposeful play and first-hand experiences. Every conversation is viewed as a valuable opportunity to extend children's thinking, develop vocabulary and build confidence.

Developing Confident Communicators

Communication and language are woven throughout every aspect of the school day. Whether children are learning indoors, exploring outdoors, sharing stories, investigating, creating or playing alongside others, our skilled practitioners use every interaction to develop children's spoken language.

We believe children learn language best through meaningful experiences. Carefully planned curriculum themes, high-quality texts, educational visits, visitors and outdoor learning provide exciting contexts for children to ask questions, share ideas, solve problems and communicate with purpose.

Our Approach

Our practitioners use evidence-informed approaches to develop children's communication and language, including:

ShREC strategies to extend conversations, introduce ambitious vocabulary and encourage sustained back-and-forth interactions.
The STAIRS Model, providing carefully scaffolded adult support that helps children become increasingly independent communicators.
Talk Through Stories, enabling children to develop vocabulary, oral comprehension and storytelling skills through rich discussion before moving on to reading and writing.
Purposeful role play and small world experiences that encourage children to apply new vocabulary, negotiate with others and develop imaginative language.

These approaches help children become confident speakers who can listen attentively, express themselves clearly and communicate effectively in a wide range of situations.

Vocabulary Development

Developing vocabulary is a golden thread running throughout our curriculum.

Each topic introduces carefully selected vocabulary that is explicitly taught, modelled and revisited across adult-led learning, continuous provision and outdoor experiences. Children encounter new language through stories, investigations, discussion, role play and first-hand experiences before applying it independently in their own conversations and play.

By revisiting vocabulary in different contexts, children develop a deeper understanding of language and become increasingly confident using ambitious words accurately.

Learning Through Talk

We provide daily opportunities for children to develop their communication skills through:

Language for Thinking sessions.
Storytelling and story retelling.
Singing nursery rhymes, songs and poems.
Circle times and class discussions.
Collaborative play and problem solving.
Role play linked to curriculum themes.
Outdoor investigations and exploration.
Presenting ideas and sharing achievements.
Speaking to different audiences during assemblies, performances and celebrations.

These experiences help children develop confidence, resilience and independence while learning to listen carefully, take turns in conversation, explain their thinking and respect the ideas of others.

Working in Partnership with Families

Parents and carers play a vital role in developing children's communication skills.

We encourage families to:

talk together every day
share stories and discuss books
sing songs and nursery rhymes
encourage children to explain their ideas and experiences
introduce and revisit new vocabulary
enjoy meaningful conversations during everyday routines such as cooking, shopping and travelling

By working together, we help children develop the communication skills they need to become confident learners and successful members of their community.

Why Communication Matters

Strong communication skills underpin every area of learning. By the time children leave Reception, our aim is for them to be confident listeners who understand increasingly complex language, articulate speakers who communicate clearly and thoughtfully, and curious learners who ask questions, explain their ideas and engage positively with others.

At Berkswell, we believe that every conversation matters. Through high-quality interactions, ambitious vocabulary and meaningful opportunities to communicate, we inspire children to find their voice, develop confidence and build the strong foundations needed for lifelong learning.

Transition

Starting in Foundation Stage 1 (Nursery)

We begin getting to know our youngest learners long before they start school.

Our transition into Nursery includes:

Home visits for every child, allowing us to meet children in their familiar surroundings and begin building positive relationships with families.
A Stay and Play session during the Summer Term, giving children the opportunity to explore the classroom, meet staff and become familiar with their new environment.
A comprehensive Welcome Booklet, 'All About Me' booklet and 'Getting Ready for FS1' guide, helping parents prepare their child for starting school.
A parent induction evening, where families meet the EYFS team and learn about our curriculum, routines and expectations before September.
A staggered start in September, with children joining in two smaller groups over the first two days before attending together. This gentle introduction helps children settle confidently without becoming overwhelmed.

Starting in Foundation Stage 2 (Reception)

We recognise that children joining Reception have different experiences before starting school. Whether children transition from our Nursery or another setting, we ensure every family receives the support they need.

For children who are new to Berkswell, we provide:

A home visit to establish positive relationships before children begin school.
Close communication with previous nurseries, pre-schools or childminders to ensure we understand each child's strengths, interests and individual needs. Where appropriate, we visit children within their current setting before they join us.
An 'All About Me' booklet completed with parents to help us get to know every child as an individual before they start.
Opportunities for children and families to attend Stay and Play sessions, meet staff and explore the Reception environment during the Summer Term.
Invitations to school events, such as our Summer Fayre and church services, enabling families to begin feeling part of our school community before September.
A parent induction evening to explain routines, curriculum and expectations, helping families feel well prepared for the start of Reception.

Children moving from our Nursery into Reception benefit from additional opportunities to build confidence. Throughout the year they regularly share outdoor learning spaces and playtimes with Reception, becoming familiar with the staff and environment. During the Summer Term they also attend additional transition sessions in the Reception classroom, allowing them to experience new routines while maintaining the security of familiar adults.

Transition into Year 1

Transition to Year 1 begins well before the end of Reception and is carefully planned to ensure children feel confident, secure and excited about the next stage of their learning.

Throughout the Summer Term, Reception and Year 1 work closely together through a structured programme of transition activities, including:

Regular visits from the Year 1 teacher.
Shared story sessions and circle times.
Playtimes with Year 1 children.
Small-group visits to the Year 1 classroom.
Joint learning activities and practical investigations.
Opportunities for Reception children to explore the Year 1 environment and routines.

Our transition programme maintains the play-based approaches that children know so well while gradually introducing Year 1 expectations. Particular care is taken to support children with SEND and any children who may require additional reassurance, ensuring every child feels confident and ready for the next stage of their learning.

Importantly, the transition does not end in July. During the Autumn Term of Year 1, children continue to benefit from carefully planned Continuous Provision, enabling them to build upon the independent learning behaviours, curiosity and problem-solving skills developed throughout the Early Years. This gradual approach allows children to apply their knowledge through purposeful play while becoming familiar with the increased expectations of Key Stage 1. As the term progresses, the provision evolves to support a smooth and successful transition from the EYFS curriculum into the National Curriculum, ensuring children remain confident, engaged and successful learners.

At Berkswell, transition is not viewed as a single event but as a carefully planned journey. By working closely with families, previous settings and school staff, we ensure every child feels safe, valued and ready to flourish from their very first day.

SEND

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that every child feels valued, included and able to thrive. We recognise that children develop at different rates and that some children may require additional support to help them achieve their full potential. Our inclusive Early Years environment celebrates every child's strengths while providing the support, challenge and encouragement they need to succeed.

High-quality teaching is at the heart of our provision. Through carefully planned learning experiences, adaptive teaching and responsive adult interactions, we ensure that all children can access our ambitious Early Years curriculum. Activities are adapted to meet individual needs, enabling every child to participate, achieve and develop confidence as learners.

Our experienced practitioners know every child as an individual. Through ongoing observation and assessment, we quickly identify children who may benefit from additional support and work closely with families to understand each child's strengths, interests and needs. Early identification allows us to provide timely support and helps ensure that any barriers to learning are addressed as soon as possible.

Support may include:

Adapted teaching and learning opportunities within the classroom.
Targeted small-group or individual interventions.
Personalised learning targets and individual support plans where appropriate.
Visual supports, practical resources and communication strategies.
Carefully planned adult interactions using approaches such as ShREC and the STAIRS model to develop communication, language and thinking skills.
Adaptations to the learning environment and continuous provision to promote independence and successful participation.

We believe that parents and carers know their child best and value the strong partnerships we build with families. We work closely together to celebrate successes, share progress and agree next steps, ensuring that support is consistent between home and school.

Where additional advice or specialist support is needed, we work in partnership with our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo) and a range of external professionals, including Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Health Professionals and Specialist Teachers. Together, we ensure that children receive the right support at the right time.

Our aim is for every child to feel safe, happy and confident within our Early Years environment. We encourage independence, celebrate individuality and nurture resilience, ensuring that every child is able to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Working in Partnership

We believe that successful SEND provision is built on strong partnerships. By working closely with children, families, school staff and external professionals, we create personalised support that enables every child to make progress, develop confidence and enjoy their learning journey.

Need to discuss your child's needs?

If you have any questions about your child's development or would like to discuss the support available within our Early Years setting, please contact:

Mrs Sarah Tyler – EYFS Lead
Mrs Connell – SENDCo

We are always happy to meet with families and work together to ensure every child has the very best start to their education.

Parents Information

At Berkswell Church of England Primary School, we believe that parents and carers are children's first educators. By working together and maintaining open, honest communication, we can provide the very best start to every child's education. We value the strong relationships we build with our families and are committed to ensuring that parents feel informed, involved and supported throughout their child's Early Years journey.

At the beginning of the Autumn Term, we invite all Reception parents to attend our Curriculum Information Meeting, where we introduce our Early Years curriculum, daily routines, continuous provision, early reading and phonics, and share practical ways that families can support learning at home. This meeting also provides an opportunity for parents to meet the EYFS team, ask questions and gain an understanding of what to expect throughout the year.

Keeping parents informed is a priority. Throughout the year, we provide weekly newsletters celebrating children's learning, sharing curriculum highlights, key experiences and important dates for the weeks ahead. We also use ClassDojo to share regular updates, photographs and videos of children engaging in their learning, giving families a valuable insight into daily life in EYFS and the exciting experiences taking place both indoors and outdoors. Whether children are exploring in continuous provision, taking part in enrichment activities, learning outdoors or celebrating achievements, we enjoy sharing these special moments with families.

We believe that communication should be a two-way partnership. Our EYFS team operates an open-door policy, and parents are always welcome to speak to a member of staff at the beginning or end of the school day. Should a longer conversation be needed, appointments can be arranged at a mutually convenient time. We encourage parents to share achievements from home, ask questions and discuss any concerns, recognising that working together enables us to provide the very best support for every child.

Parents are kept fully informed about their child's progress throughout the year. We hold two formal Parents' Evenings and an additional consultation session, providing opportunities to celebrate achievements, discuss progress and agree next steps for learning. Alongside these meetings, we share regular informal updates and celebrate children's successes as they develop across all seven areas of learning.

We value the important role families play in supporting learning at home. Reading together, practising phonics, encouraging independence and talking about everyday experiences all make a significant difference to children's confidence and progress. By working in close partnership with parents and carers, we ensure that every child feels happy, supported and inspired to achieve their very best.

Together, home and school create the strong foundations that enable every child to flourish, develop a lifelong love of learning and truly shine.

Useful Documents and Links

We have provided a range of helpful documents and online resources to support your child's learning and help you stay informed throughout their time in our Early Years Foundation Stage.

Please click on the links below to access information about our curriculum, phonics, reading and school life. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact the EYFS team—we are always happy to help.

Helpful Websites

The following websites can be used to support learning at home:

Oxford Owl – Access your child's Floppy's Phonics online reading book and additional reading resources.
ClassDojo – View regular updates, photographs and announcements from the EYFS team.
BBC Tiny Happy People – Practical advice and activities to support speech, language and communication.
Hungry Little Minds – Simple ideas and activities to support learning through everyday experiences.

Toilet training

To help children settle quickly and confidently into school life, it is helpful if children are fully toilet trained before starting school. Being independently toilet trained supports children’s wellbeing, confidence, and ability to access all areas of the curriculum without interruption. We understand that occasional accidents can happen and will always respond sensitively and supportively. If a child has a medical or additional need that affects toileting, we encourage parents and carers to discuss this with us before their child starts school so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Working together, we can ensure every child has a positive and successful start to their school journey.

Toilet Training Websites

NHS toilet training

Resources for early years settings - ERIC

New – The Potty Training Guide created by coalition of experts, backed by government - IHV

The Potty Training Guide - Starting Reception

If you have any questions about any of the documents or would like further information, please contact the EYFS team. We are always happy to support you.