Early Years

At Upton Primary School, we believe that every child is unique. Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is our Nursery and Reception classes. We follow the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework, and our personalised and tailored curriculum gives every child the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to become confident, inquisitive, curious and independent learners. We believe that an education that does all of this gives children the best chance to become well-rounded, happy individuals, ready to succeed in an ever-changing world.

Our principles

• A unique child: every child is unique and has the potential to be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
• Positive relationships: children flourish when there are warm, strong partnerships between our staff and parents and carers. These relationships help children to become independent across the EYFS curriculum.
• Enabling environments: children learn and develop well in safe and secure environments, where routines are established and adults respond to each child's needs and interests, helping them to build on their learning over time.
• Learning and development: children develop and learn at different rates, so we notice when a child needs extra support and plan for it.

Characteristics of effective learning

• Playing and exploring: children investigate, experience things and have a go. Children who take an active part in their own play build up more information and experiences to draw on, which supports their learning.
• Active learning: children concentrate and keep on trying when things are difficult, and are proud of what they achieve. Taking ownership, accepting challenges and learning to persist help them to become self-regulating, lifelong learners.
• Creating and thinking critically: children develop their own ideas and make links between them. They think flexibly, drawing on what they already know to solve problems and reach conclusions.

What children learn

Children learn through all seven areas of the EYFS framework. We put the three prime areas first (Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and Physical Development), because they give children the skills they need for all other learning.

• Talk and stories: daily story time, fortnightly “hook books” that theme our learning around a story, Talk Through Stories, Drawing Club and TWiTCH, with Magic of Stories in Nursery.
• Reading and phonics: children begin Read Write Inc. phonics in the summer term of Nursery, ready for Reception, and continue in Reception. Children take home reading books in Nursery and in Reception.
• Maths: Reception has a daily maths lesson following Mastering Number.
• Physical development: PE through GetSet4PE, and handwriting through Kinetic Letters.
• Personal, social and emotional development: weekly One Life PSHE lessons, circle time, and our weekly Safeguarding Question of the Week.
• Understanding the world and the arts: Kapow music in Reception, Barefoot Computing and online safety, and RE festivals and celebrations.
• Our values: British Values and our Everyone Belongs theme are planned for every half term, for example with a class vote.

Learning outdoors

In Early Years, children have the opportunity to learn outdoors every day. We aim to give them an active education where they develop independence, resilience, creativity and problem-solving skills. Natural materials and the open-ended nature of the outdoors build children's confidence and imagination. We want our children to explore nature, engage with their surroundings and enjoy their learning.

Working with families

Every Friday, Nursery and Reception children bring home a home learning sheet with sounds or phonics, reading, maths and a Draw and talk activity. Please read with your child every day. More information around our curriculum can be found on our curriculum pages.

To find out more, please contact the school office on 01977 650820 or office@upton.wakefield.sch.uk, or speak to your child's class teacher.