🌟 Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

        Brightwalton CofE Primary School

Our Vision:
Nurturing Every Child to Shine their Light Brightly in the World

“Let your light shine…” (Matthew 5:14, 16)

At Brightwalton CofE Primary School, our EYFS provision is rooted in our Christian vision and values. We provide a nurturing, inclusive and inspiring environment where children feel safe, valued and confident to explore, play and learn.

In Reception, the child is at the centre of everything we do. We believe that strong, trusting relationships are the foundation for all learning. By building warm, respectful and supportive relationships, children feel safe and secure in their environment, enabling them to engage academically, develop independence and flourish socially, emotionally and spiritually.

We follow the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, use Development Matters (2021) as our non-statutory curriculum guidance, and align our practice with the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and Inspection Handbook focus for EYFS (2025). Our curriculum is underpinned by strong relationships, high-quality adult interactions and a belief that every child can flourish.

👩‍🏫 EYFS Team

• Class Teacher: Mrs Williams
• HLTA: Mrs Goatley
• Teaching Assistants: Miss Fisher, Miss Stubbs

📌 What is the EYFS?

The EYFS applies to children from birth to the end of the Reception year (age 5). At Brightwalton CofE Primary School, we believe that early learning should be joyful, meaningful and child-centred.

We ensure children make strong progress from their unique starting points through:

✔ High-quality, play-based learning
✔ Purposeful adult interaction
✔ Language-rich environments
✔ Strong partnerships with parents and carers
✔ Inclusive provision that meets the needs of all learners

Learning is built around children’s interests, next steps and real-world experiences.

🧠 Our EYFS Curriculum Intent

Our EYFS curriculum at Brightwalton CofE Primary School:

• Reflects our Christian vision:
  Nurturing Every Child to Shine their Light Brightly in the World
• Is inspired by the words of Jesus:
  “Let your light shine…” (Matthew 5:14, 16)
• Embeds our core values:
  Service • Perseverance • Wisdom • Friendship • Trust
• Nurtures the whole child — body, mind and spirit
• Places the child at the centre of learning
• Prioritises relationships as the foundation for learning
• Builds confident, resilient and curious learners
• Prioritises communication and language development
• Supports social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth equally
• Prepares children for a successful transition into Year 1

We sequence learning to ensure progression across all areas, using Development Matters as a guide. Our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and responsive to children’s needs.

📚 Areas of Learning and Development

In line with the Statutory Framework, our curriculum is organised into seven areas of learning:

Prime Areas

1. Communication and Language
2. Physical Development
3. Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

Specific Areas

1. Literacy
2. Mathematics
3. Understanding the World
4. Expressive Arts and Design

Each area is planned through purposeful play, adult-led teaching, and rich learning experiences that are progressive and meaningful.

🛠 How We Deliver Our EYFS Curriculum

Our curriculum is delivered through a blend of structured teaching, child-initiated play and high-quality interactions. Key approaches include:

• NCETM Mastery of Number
  Building deep conceptual understanding of number, subitising, composition and comparison through structured, engaging sessions.
• Flying Start Phonics
  A systematic, synthetic phonics programme to support early reading, writing and spelling.
• Drawing Club
  A creative, story-led approach to develop language, imagination, fine motor control and early writing.
• Discovery Time (Continuous Provision)
  Our child-initiated learning environment where children explore, investigate and apply skills across all areas of learning. Adults observe, interact and extend learning purposefully.
• Outdoor Learning
  Daily outdoor provision to develop physical skills, resilience, teamwork and curiosity about the natural world.
• Stories & Play
  A strong focus on high-quality texts, storytelling, role-play and imaginative experiences to support language and literacy.
• Music
  Singing, listening, movement and rhythm to support creativity, wellbeing and communication.
• French
  Early exposure to a modern foreign language to develop curiosity, listening skills and cultural awareness.
• Handwriting
  Structured development of fine motor skills, pencil control and early letter formation.
• Gross & Fine Motor Skills
  Targeted activities to strengthen core stability, coordination, hand strength and control.
• PE Coaches
  Specialist support to enhance physical development, teamwork and confidence.
• Seasons & Celebrations
  Learning linked to the changing seasons, Christian festivals and cultural celebrations, enriching understanding of the world and spiritual development.

🌱 Development Matters — Supporting Progress

We use Development Matters (2021) to guide planning and assessment across Reception these expectations inform teaching and next steps but do not limit learning. Progress is individual, continuous and rooted in each child’s starting point.

🎓 Early Learning Goals (ELGs)

The Early Learning Goals describe the level of development children are expected to reach by the end of the Reception year. They support teachers to make a best-fit judgement about whether a child is working at the expected level for their age. The ELGs are not a curriculum but a summary of key knowledge, skills and understanding across the seven areas of learning.

At Brightwalton CofE Primary School, our EYFS curriculum is carefully designed to ensure children make strong progress towards the ELGs through high-quality teaching, play-based learning, purposeful interactions and Discovery Time. We recognise that children develop at different rates and value progress from each child’s unique starting point.

The ELGs are assessed at the end of Reception and shared with parents as part of the EYFS Profile. This information supports a smooth transition into Year 1 and ensures continuity of learning.

📅 A Typical Day in EYFS

Our day includes:

• Short, focused carpet sessions
• Adult-led group work
• Discovery Time (continuous provision)
• Outdoor learning
• Snack time and social interaction
• Reflection and storytelling

Children are encouraged to choose activities, reflect on learning and develop independence, with adults guiding and extending learning through high-quality interaction.

📈 Assessment and Reporting

Assessment in EYFS is:

✔ Ongoing and observational
✔ Informed by Development Matters
✔ Used to shape teaching and provision
✔ Shared regularly with parents

We use:

• Reception baseline assessment
• Learning journeys
• Termly progress reviews
• Parent consultations and reports

Assessment supports learning — it does not interrupt it.

🤝 Partnership with Families

We believe learning continues beyond school. We work closely with families through:

• Regular communication
• Home learning ideas
• Parent-teacher meetings

We value parents as partners in their child’s education.

👀 Ofsted Focus in EYFS (2025)

Our curriculum reflects Ofsted’s key expectations:

✔ Clear curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact
✔ Play as a powerful learning tool
✔ Strong language development
✔ Sequenced learning
✔ High-quality adult interactions
✔ Inclusion and equity
✔ Assessment that informs teaching

✝ SIAMS and Church of England Distinctiveness

As a Church of England school, our EYFS curriculum:

• Is rooted in our Christian vision and biblical foundation
  “Let your light shine…” (Matthew 5:14, 16)
• Places relationships, compassion and respect at the heart of learning
• Nurtures the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of every child
• Encourages reflection, kindness, service and perseverance
• Celebrates Christian festivals and stories
• Promotes strong, compassionate relationships
• Supports children to understand themselves, others and the wider world
• Empowers every child to shine their unique light

We ensure every child feels loved, valued and empowered to thrive.