Intent

At Elham Church of England Primary School, our EYFS curriculum is designed to give every child the strongest possible start to their education, enabling them to reach their full potential academically, socially and emotionally. Rooted in our Christian values of achievement, community, empathy and faith, our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and responsive to the needs of the children and families we serve.

We recognise that children’s early learning is foundational. Therefore, our curriculum prioritises the Prime Areas of learning—communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development—recognising these as essential for future success across the curriculum. Through rich experiences, high-quality interactions and carefully planned provision, we support children to build secure foundations in knowledge, skills and vocabulary that progress coherently over time.

Our curriculum intent is to:

• Develop children’s spoken language, listening and attention, recognising language as the cornerstone of learning and thinking.
   

• Build cultural capital, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, through meaningful experiences that broaden knowledge of the world.
   

• Foster positive learning behaviours, including curiosity, independence, resilience and self-regulation.
   

• Close gaps in learning through early identification and timely support, particularly for children with SEND and those who are disadvantaged.
   

• Promote children’s wellbeing, sense of belonging and emotional security, enabling them to engage fully in learning.
   

• Work in close partnership with parents and carers to support learning and development.
   

Our intent is informed by evidence that high-quality early education, particularly where adults interact purposefully with children, has a lasting positive impact on outcomes (EEF). Children leave Reception as confident, capable learners with strong foundations across all areas of learning, ready to transition successfully into Key Stage 1.

Implementation

Our curriculum intent is realised through a well-sequenced EYFS curriculum, implemented by skilled practitioners with a secure understanding of child development and effective pedagogy. Learning is planned with clear curricular priorities and is enacted through a balance of adult-led teaching and high-quality child-initiated learning, supported by intentional adult interaction.

Implementation is responsive to the unique context of our school community. We recognise that many children enter our EYFS with secure early language and verbal communication skills. Our curriculum is therefore designed not simply to maintain this strong start, but to reinforce, extend and deepen children’s spoken language, vocabulary and communication through increasingly rich experiences, high-quality texts and purposeful adult interaction.

We also recognise that many children enter our setting having already accessed a wide range of enriching experiences beyond school, including visits to cultural, historical and geographical sites and experiences of the wider world. Our curriculum is therefore designed to build on this existing cultural capital by providing new, diverse and increasingly complex experiences that broaden children’s understanding, deepen knowledge and extend vocabulary. Through carefully chosen texts, visits, visitors and first-hand learning opportunities, we ensure that all children continue to encounter experiences that challenge thinking, extend horizons and contribute to a coherent and ambitious curriculum.

Key features of implementation include:

• Purposeful, well-planned learning experiences that enable children to explore, apply and deepen understanding.
   

• High-quality adult–child interactions, including modelling language, questioning, scaffolding and sustained shared thinking, recognised by Ofsted as central to effective early years practice.
   

• A language-rich enabling environment, indoors and outdoors, where talk, vocabulary and communication are prioritised across all areas of learning.
   

• Clear progression in knowledge and skills across all seven areas of learning, informed by the EYFS statutory framework and Development Matters.
   

• Ongoing formative assessment, grounded in professional judgement, which informs responsive teaching and next steps.
   

• Early identification of need, with timely and targeted support for children with SEND or additional needs, drawing on specialist advice where appropriate.
   

• A systematic approach to early reading and phonics, ensuring children build secure foundations in decoding, language comprehension and early writing.
   

The Reception Baseline Assessment is used as a statutory starting point and does not form part of ongoing EYFS assessment. Additional assessment information, including phonics and speech and language screening where appropriate, is used formatively to inform provision and intervention.

Impact

The impact of our EYFS curriculum is evident in children who are happy, confident and motivated learners, making strong progress from their individual starting points.

By the end of Reception:

• The majority of children achieve a Good Level of Development, with progress closely monitored to ensure continued success beyond EYFS.
   

• Children communicate confidently, use a broad and developing vocabulary, and engage positively with peers and adults.
   

• Children demonstrate independence, curiosity and the ability to sustain focus and engagement.
   

• Children show emotional resilience, self-regulation and positive attitudes to learning.
   

• Children are well prepared for the expectations of Year 1, having secure foundations in early reading, writing, number and learning behaviours.