Our EYFS Curriculum

Our Curriculum

At St John Bosco RC Primary School our EYFS curriculum follows the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This framework outlines the mandatory requirements for all EYFS children until the end of the Reception year. Our staff have developed a bespoke and ambitious curriculum aided by the non-statutory documents ‘Development Matters’ and ‘Birth to 5 Matters.’ Our curriculum also looks at the next stage in a child's journey and makes reference to the National Curriculum for Year 1. Our curriculum is underpinned by project questions. Through these projects, children explore a wide range of topics and learn through exploration.

Development Matters (First published 2020, Revised 2023)

This is a document which has been developed by Dr Julian Grenier. It offers a top-level view of how children can develop and learn, and guides professional judgement. Development Matters provides useful observation checkpoints and examples of how to support children in reaching these checkpoints. Development matters uses the categories ‘birth to three’, ‘3 and 4-year-olds’, and ‘Children in reception’ to identify where a child is currently working.

Birth to 5 Matters (2021)

Birth to 5 Matters has been produced by the Early Years Coalition, a group of 16 leading early years sector organisations. This document aims to support practitioners implement the statutory framework in a pedagogically sound, principled and evidence-based way. Birth to 5 Matters uses ranges linked to typical age spans to identify where a child is currently working. For example, birth to 6 months is range 1. There are 6 ranges in the Birth to 5 document.

At St John Bosco, our early years foundation stage staff are guided by the overarching principles which shape everything we do. 

Unique Child

We recognise that every child is unique. We celebrate every child's achievements and provide the necessary support to help them overcome barriers they may face.

Positive Relationships

Our fantastic EYFS staff quickly establish positive relationships with the children and model how to treat others with RUAH - respect, understanding, affection and humour. This enables the children to form positive relationships with their peers. We aim to develop strong and lasting relationships with parents and carers, to further support and encourage our children both at home and at school.

Enabling Environments

Our EYFS is made up of two classrooms (one Nursery and one Reception) and a shared outdoor area. Both our indoor and outdoor areas are resourced for continuous provision which promotes curious and independent learning. We also have added enhancements which are planned to address misconceptions or futher develop skills being taught. 

Learning and Development

Our children learn and develop through a combination of adult led and child led learning. We teach discreet subjects in line with the early years foundation stage framework (Communication and Language) and the National Curriculum (Science, Art, etc). Children are provided with the opportunity to further explore and develop the skills and knowledge taught through continuous provison and adult led focuses. 

Areas of Learning

In EYFS we have 7 areas of learning. These are categorised into the Prime Areas and the Specific Areas. The Prime Areas are foundational and contain the key skills children must acquire in order to learn effectively. 

The Prime Areas are:

Communication and Language - Listening, Attention and Understanding, and Speaking.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development - Self-Regulation, Managing Self, and Building Relationships.

Physical Development - Gross Motor Skills and Fine Motor Skills.

The Specific Areas provide children with the knowledge and skills to flourish in society.

The Specific Areas are:

Literacy - Comprehension, Word Reading, and Writing.

Mathematics - Number, and Numerical Patterns.

Understanding the World - Past and Present, People, Culture and Communities, and The Natural World.

Expressive Art and Design - Creating with Materials, and Being Imaginative and Expressive.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Whilst the Areas of Learning outline what children may learn, the Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL) describe how children learn. The Characteristics of Effective Learning are particularly important in the EYFS because they build the foundations needed to support children to become strong lifelong learners and independent thinkers. 

The CoEL are:

Playing and Exploring - Finding out and exploring, playing with what they know, being willing to 'have a go'.

Active Learning - Being involved and concentrating, keep trying, enjoying achieving what they set out to do.

Thinking Creatively and Critically - Having their own ideas, making links, working with ideas.

Early Learning Goals and the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile

In the final term of the year a child turns 5, the EYFS profile must be completed. The EYFS profile is a statutory assessment of children's development. Children are assessed against 17 early learning goals (ELGs) across all 7 areas of learning in the EYFS. The profile provides parents, carers and staff with an holistic view of a child's knowledge and skills as well as their attainment against the expected levels and readiness for Year 1. The EYFS staff will observe and assess each child and then make reasonable judgements against the ELGs. We will provide a report to parents and carers using the terms 'emerging' or 'expected.' 

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