Early Years Foundation Stage

We aim to provide a positive, safe and stimulating environment for children to learn, where every individual is valued. We ensure children are happy in their learning; achieving their full potential and gaining the skills needed to become independent, life-long learners.

Our curriculum is designed to recognise and build upon children’s prior learning, both from previous settings and their experiences at home. We work in partnership with all stakeholders: parents, carers, pre-school settings, the Magnificat EYFS Leads’ Working Group and our Parish to provide the best possible start at St. Gregory’s Catholic Primary School, ensuring everyone reaches their full potential from their various starting points.

Our curriculum has been designed to enable children to succeed through cooperative and collaborative learning principles. As such, there is a strong emphasis on the Prime Areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development and Communication and Language.  

At St. Gregory’s, we recognise that communication and language not only improves academic outcomes but is a life skill to ensure success beyond school: in life and future employment. Communication and language develops children’s thinking and understanding, which in turn promotes self-confidence, resilience and empathy; aiding each child’s well-being. Our enabling environments and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children as they begin to link learning to their play and exploration right from the start. 

High level engagement ensures high level attainment. We, therefore, provide an engaging curriculum that maximises opportunities for meaningful, cross-curricular links and learning experiences, as well as promoting the unique child by offering extended periods of independent, creative play and sustained thinking. We follow children’s interests and ideas to foster a life-long love of learning, both in and outside of school.

By the end of the Reception year, our intent is to ensure that all children make at least good progress from their starting points and are equipped with the skills and knowledge to have a successful transition into Year One. 

To read our EYFS Curriculum Overview, click below.