Early Years
Welcome to St Margaret’s Early Years Foundation Stage area of the website. Here you will be able to have a look at our curriculum content and how we cover the seven areas of learning:
Prime Areas:
Communication and Language
Personal, Social and Emotional development
Physical development
Specific Areas:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive Art and Design
Our EYFS provision ensures we are implementing the characteristics of effective learning through well planned lessons and continuous provision.
Please see below the long term plans for both Nursery and Reception.
Learning through Play:
Play is of the utmost importance within the Early Years of a child’s education. Children learn about turn taking, sharing, building relationships, conversations and the world around them through exploration through play. We ensure that the child have one hour of continuous provision in the morning and in the afternoon, which also encompasses free flow to learning through play in the outdoor area. Play partnering is key in the EYFS as it allows all adults to gain a deeper understanding of the child’s likes, interest and knowledge and provides an opportunity to develop their understanding and vocabulary.
Phonics:
At St Margaret’s we follow the Little Wandle scheme for phonics. The children’s phonics journey begins in Nursery by following the Little Wandle ‘Foundations for phonics’ where the children learn to explore Nursery Rhymes, sounds and begin to listen for sounds in words. In Reception the children begin phonics from their second week in school and continue to have daily lessons throughout the year. The phonics sessions include recognition of sounds, reading of tricky words, letter formation and spelling of words.
See below for our Phonics and Early Reading policy and the Little Wandle progression.
Assessment:
Adults monitor and assess children’s progress and development through daily high quality interactions, observations and focus group work. In Reception the children complete the Reception baseline assessment within the first part of the Autumn term. Termly assessments are then carried out before assessing children against the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Reception year. These levels are then reported to parents within the report shared at the end of the acadmeic year.
Parental involvement:
Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework 2025:
“All children deserve the care and support they need to have the best start in life. Children learn and develop at a faster rate from birth to five years old than at any other time in their lives, so their experiences in early years have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe, and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high-quality early learning provide the foundation children need to fulfil their potential.”
Partnership with parents is key within the Early Years. We have an open door policy which allows parents to share any ‘wow’ moments, as well as ask questions or share concerns. We hold an induction meeting to Early Years during the summer term where the parents of children who are new to Nursery and Reception in September will visit the school, meet the staff and gain an understanding of what the Early Years looks like in September.
All Nursery children receive a home visit in September and any children who did not attend Nursery, will receive a home visit from Reception staff before beginning Reception. We have parents evenings in the Autumn and Spring term, with reports detailing children’s development in the Summer term. As well as this we hold workshops throughout the year including phonics and Maths.
Home learning is sent out weekly providing an outline of a range of practical activities the children can do. Fortnightly newsletters allow parents to gain further insight into what learning has taken place in school also.
Please take a few moments to enjoy looking at some of the wonderful learning that has taken place in the Early Years at St Margaret’s.
