Early Years (EYFS)

Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s early experiences have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in providing the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. At Wykeham, we are passionate about maintaining the integrity of a unique, EYFS experience for our Reception children whilst celebrating opportunities for our youngest children to learn alongside their older peers in Year 1 and Year 2. We work together with parents and carers to ensure that all children are supported in achieving their full potential.  

Learning at Wykeham takes place both inside and outside (whatever the weather!) in our carefully-planned provision. We are lucky to have a range of outdoor spaces onsite, including our covered outdoor classroom and our trim trail. Children also have access to our own Forest Schools woodland at St Helen's caravan park.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.

There are seven areas of learning and development that shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.

Three areas are particularly important for building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving. 

These are the prime areas:

  • communication and language
  • physical development
  • personal, social and emotional development

Providers also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

The specific areas are:

  • literacy
  • mathematics
  • understanding the world
  • expressive arts and design

The level of development children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS is defined by the early learning goals (ELGs). The ELGs support our teacher to make a holistic, best-fit judgement about a child’s development, and their readiness for Year 1.

In planning and guiding what children learn, practitioners reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately. Three characteristics of effective teaching and learning 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

Curriculum overview

Our curriculum overview breaks down the Early Learning Goals and Development Matters statements and shows how our EYFS builds and progresses each child's skills, knowledge and understanding throughout each area of learning. Additionally, EYFS leaders across Elevate MAT have worked together to create the coherence and connections document, which demonstrates how our EYFS curriculum prepares children for their learning in KS1 and beyond.

We are committed to ensuring children at Wykeham get off to a flying start with phonics and reading. This is achieved through our phonics scheme, Little Wandle. For more information about the scheme and how to support your child at home, please see our Phonics curriculum page.

To ensure children develop depth and fluency with number, we use the NCETM's Mastering Number to support our Maths teaching. More information about this can be found on our Maths curriculum page.