Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Kingston Park Primary School 

We love learning in Early Years! We aim to create an environment which is happy, safe and fun to learn in. Where the child is at the centre of all we do.  

In both Nursery and Reception We follow ‘Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework’ and work towards a set of statements called the ‘Early Learning Goals’. Each child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development.  The children develop through playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically.

There are seven areas of learning and development that shape our Early Years curriculum. These are split into two important and interconnected sections – prime and specific:  

The ‘prime’ areas of learning and development are: 

Communication and language: 

• Listening, attention and understanding  

• Speaking  

Physical development:  

• Gross motor skills 
• Fine motor skills 

Personal, social and emotional development: 

• Self-regulation 
• Managing self 
• Building relationships 

The ‘specific’ areas of learning and development are: 

Literacy: 

• Comprehension 
• Word reading 
• Writing  

Mathematics: 

• Numbers 

• Numerical patterns 

Understanding the world:  

• Past and present 
• People, culture and communities 
• The natural world 

Expressive arts and design: 

• Creating with materials 
• Being imaginative and expressive

Prime Areas: 

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) 

• Communication and Language (C&L) 

• Physical Development (PD) 

Specific Areas: 

• Literacy (L) 

• Mathematics (M) 

• Understanding the World (UW) 

• Expressive Arts and Design (EAD) 

The prime areas are fundamental throughout the EYFS and the timetable, especially in nursery, is weighted more heavily on developing these core skills. The specific areas include the skills and knowledge which provide important contexts for learning and these areas develop more fully towards the end of the early years.

Throughout their time in the Early Years the children are immersed in lots of practical, first-hand learning experiences through which they are encouraged to explore, experiment and develop their language. The children use both the indoor and outdoor classroom during teacher directed and child initiated times. Staff join in with children’s learning, extending their language and thinking at the child’s level and help them to make progress.  

We have a particular love for outdoor learning. Each week come rain or shine, we put on our wellies and head outdoors, learning through our wonderful outdoor environment!