Intent

At St Mary’s, we believe that a child’s early experiences lay the foundations for future learning and success. The Reception year is therefore a vital stage in each child’s journey, developing the knowledge, skills, confidence and attitudes they need to flourish throughout school and beyond.

We have high expectations for every child and provide an ambitious Early Years curriculum that is designed to give all children the best possible start to their education.

We recognise that every child is unique and arrives at St Mary’s with different experiences, interests, strengths and needs. Our curriculum builds carefully from children’s starting points and is adapted where necessary so that all children, including those with SEND, disadvantaged children and those who may face other barriers to learning or wellbeing, can participate, achieve and thrive.

Our curriculum and practice are guided by the four key principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage:

• Every child is a unique individual
• Positive relationships are central to learning
• The environment plays an important role in development
• Children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates

Through these principles, we aim to develop confident, curious, articulate and increasingly independent learners who are well prepared for Year 1 and the next stage of their education.

Implementation

EYFS Learning and Development

Our Early Years curriculum is ambitious, carefully sequenced and designed to ensure that children develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills across all seven areas of learning.

The three prime areas provide essential foundations for future learning:

• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

The four specific areas build upon these foundations:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

Learning is planned systematically and progressively so that new knowledge and skills build upon what children already know. 

Communication and Language

Communication and language are at the heart of our Reception curriculum.

Adults model rich and ambitious vocabulary, engage children in meaningful conversations, ask questions, tell stories and encourage children to articulate their ideas. New vocabulary is deliberately introduced and revisited across our learning journeys so children increasingly understand and use it independently.

How Children Learn

Children learn through a carefully considered balance of:

• purposeful and child-initiated play
• high-quality interactions with adults
• explicit teaching and modelling
• guided learning
• exploration and investigation
• learning alongside their peers
• opportunities to practise and apply what they have learned

Adults teach through explaining, demonstrating, modelling language, questioning, recalling previous learning, exploring ideas and providing appropriate challenge.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Running through our curriculum are the Characteristics of Effective Learning:

• Playing and exploring – investigating, experiencing things and having a go
• Active learning – concentrating, persevering and enjoying achievement
• Creating and thinking critically – developing ideas, making connections and finding ways to solve problems

We want children not only to acquire knowledge, but also to develop positive attitudes towards learning, including curiosity, resilience, independence and confidence.

Learning Journeys

Each half term follows a carefully planned learning journey.

These journeys provide a meaningful context through which children build knowledge, vocabulary and skills over time. Previous learning is regularly revisited so children can remember more, make connections and increasingly apply what they know independently.

Planning remains responsive. Practitioners use their knowledge of individual children to adapt teaching, provision and support where necessary while maintaining high expectations for all.

Our Learning Environment

Our indoor and outdoor environments are integral to our curriculum.

Resources and provision are carefully selected to enable children to explore, practise, revisit and extend what they have been taught. Established routines help children understand expectations, develop independence and feel secure within the Reception environment.

Our St Mary’s EYFS Curriculum Goals

Our curriculum is designed to help children develop the knowledge, skills and characteristics they need to flourish. By the end of Reception, we want our children to be developing as:

• Confident Communicators who listen carefully, hold conversations with children and adults, ask relevant questions and use an increasingly rich vocabulary to explain their ideas and feelings.

• Amazing Athletes who demonstrate strength, balance and coordination and move confidently and safely in a range of ways.
• Talented Tool Users who hold a pencil effectively and use tools such as scissors, cutlery, paintbrushes and tweezers safely and confidently.
• Independent Individuals who follow our school expectations, persevere when something is challenging, select resources independently, manage their personal needs and understand how to keep themselves healthy.
• Fantastic Friends who are compassionate, trustworthy and forgiving, play cooperatively and consider the ideas and feelings of others.
• Brilliant Bookworms who develop a love of reading, talk confidently about books and use their developing phonic knowledge to read words and simple sentences.
• Wow Writers who form letters correctly and use their phonic knowledge to write words and increasingly independent sentences.
• Masters of Maths who develop a deep understanding of number, recognise patterns, subitise, compare quantities and recall key number facts.
• Exceptional Explorers who are curious about the world around them and develop their understanding of people, places, the past and the natural world.
• Compassionate Citizens who care for their community and environment and develop respect for different cultures, beliefs and experiences.
• Dynamic Designers who select and use resources purposefully, develop their own ideas and explain what they have created.
• Proud Performers who sing, dance, retell stories and increasingly perform with confidence.

Impact 

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The impact of our Early Years curriculum can be seen in children who develop secure knowledge and skills, communicate increasingly confidently, form positive relationships and become curious, resilient and independent learners.

Children are able to remember and build upon previous learning, make connections and increasingly use what they have learned independently within their play and wider curriculum experiences.

Practitioners continually assess what children know, understand and can do through their interactions, observations and children's work. This information is used to identify next steps, adapt teaching and ensure that children who need additional support receive it promptly. 

Summative assessment takes place at key points throughout the year across the seven areas of learning. At the end of Reception, children are assessed against the 17 Early Learning Goals.

We carefully consider both attainment and the progress children make from their individual starting points, including children with SEND and those who may not yet be working at age-related expectations.

Our 2026 Outcomes

Our outcomes demonstrate the strong foundations children develop during their time in Reception.

84% of children achieved a Good Level of Development in 2026, compared with approximately 72% nationally.

80% of children achieved the expected level across all 17 Early Learning Goals, compared with approximately 71% nationally. 

Children leave Reception with the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes to learning they need to make a successful transition into Year 1 and continue to flourish throughout their education.