Early Years
Where every child shines, every day!
Early Years at Our Lady of Walsingham is the provision of education and care for children from three to five years old, which includes Nursery and Reception. Our focus is to support children's learning and development through play-based activities and provide a safe and nurturing environment.
Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all our children, through developing their communication and language, physical development, personal, social and emotional development, literacy and numeracy skills, and their understanding of the world around them. This will be achieved through a range of play-based activities, such as messy play, storytelling, singing, outdoor play, and creative arts and crafts.
Our Early Years Team work closely with our parents and carers to support our children's learning and development, and to ensure that they are making progress towards their learning goals. They will also monitor and assess children's progress, and provide feedback to parents and carers on their child's achievements and areas for development.
Overall, Early Years at Our Lady of Walsingham plays an important role in providing a strong foundation to your child’s future learning and development, and is the first step on their school journey.
Our EYFS Vision
At the heart of our Early Years Foundation Stage is our belief that every child shines, every day. Guided by our whole-school vision, "With Christ as our Light, We Learn, Love and Shine, with Excellence," we provide a caring, ambitious and inclusive environment where every child is known, valued and celebrated as a unique child of God.
We believe children flourish when they feel safe, loved and respected. Through nurturing relationships, inspiring learning experiences and purposeful play, we create opportunities for every child to develop confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. We encourage children to explore, imagine, question and discover, empowering them to become independent learners who embrace challenge and celebrate success.
Working in partnership with families, we recognise and nurture each child's individual strengths, interests and needs. We are committed to ensuring every child feels a strong sense of belonging and leaves our EYFS community as a happy, confident and resilient learner, fully prepared for the next stage of their education.
Our EYFS Promise
In our EYFS, every child will:
- Feel safe, happy, loved and valued.
- Develop confidence in themselves and their abilities.
- Build positive relationships and strong friendships.
- Learn through play, exploration and meaningful experiences.
- Develop independence, resilience and self-belief.
- Become an enthusiastic communicator, reader and thinker.
- Experience awe, wonder and curiosity about the world around them.
- Be supported and challenged to achieve their very best.
- Leave Reception ready to learn, ready to succeed and ready to shine.
Our Commitment
We will:
- Put children's wellbeing at the centre of everything we do.
- Create a nurturing environment where every child can thrive.
- Foster a love of learning through rich and engaging experiences.
- Promote independence, confidence and resilience.
- Celebrate individuality and recognise every child's unique talents.
- Develop strong partnerships with parents and carers.
- Ensure high expectations and high-quality provision for all.
- Live out our approach that "Every Child Shines, Every Day."
Delivering the Curriculum
In EYFS the following topics are taught to deliver the curriculum:
Our BUILD Curriculum Approach
What is the BUILD Curriculum?
eyfs build curriulum approach.pdf
What are the key concepts children will explore?
eyfs build curriculum concept map.pdf
What are the progression of skills?
early years long term progression of skills map.pdf
EYFS Assessment Strategy
eyfs assessment strategy full.pdf