INTENT

At Grange Primary School, our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum is designed to ensure that every child receives the best possible start to their education, grounded in strong relationships, communication‑rich experiences, and a well‑sequenced curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do.
Our intent reflects the EYFS Statutory Framework 2025 and the principles in our EYFS Policy (Jan 2026).

Our intent is to:

• Provide a nurturing, inclusive and aspirational start, recognising every child as unique and capable
• Ensure high-quality early education, where the prime areas—communication & language, personal, social & emotional development, and physical development—are strengthened through purposeful play, talk-rich provision and adult-guided learning.
• Embed a curriculum that prioritises communication and language, recognising its centrality to lifelong learning
• Support children from disadvantaged backgrounds, reflecting our school’s aspiration for ‘making a difference’
• Promote children’s independence, curiosity and self‑regulation, ensuring they develop strong foundations for KS1.

IMPLEMENTATION

Our curriculum is delivered through carefully planned, high-quality provision indoors and outdoors.

Key features of our implementation include:

1. A carefully designed, language-rich environment

• Continuous provision has been fully redesigned to include communication-friendly spaces.

2. High-quality teaching and targeted interventions

• Staff are trained in evidence-led approaches including Squiggle While You Wiggle, Dough Disco, and Drawing Club, supporting fine motor development, oracy and early writing.
• Birth to 5 assessments inform ongoing planning, enabling adaptive teaching and early identification of need

3. Strong focus on communication & language

• Daily story sessions, Drawing Club, structured talk opportunities and communication-enhancing environments support vocabulary, narrative skills and early literacy

4. A progressive approach to early phonics

• Children are taught daily sessions, including the use of small, focused groups.  There are regular assessments ensuring that early support is identified.
• Parents are encouraged to engage through stretch/challenge tasks, Tapestry phonics videos and home learning prompts.

5. Partnerships with parents and the wider community

• Home visits, Stay & Play sessions,  and regular communication ensure a strong parent–school partnership,

6. Inclusive practice recognising each child’s unique needs

• Close work with our school SENCo and external agencies ensures early identification and targeted support, where needed, including support for parents.

7. Outdoor learning and enrichment

• Forest School Fridays, trips, visits and real-world experiences embed cultural capital.

IMPACT

The impact of our EYFS curriculum is seen in children who are confident, curious and ready for the next stage in their education.

We measure impact through:

1. Strong progress from starting points

• Systematic assessments (Birth to 5, phonics tracking, gap analyses) show that children—including those not considered "school ready" on entry—make rapid gains in communication, independence and early learning skills.

2. Improved fine and gross motor development

• Implementation of targeted programmes (e.g., Dough Disco, Squiggle) has led to more secure pencil grip, stronger core stability and improved readiness for writing.

3. Accelerated language and oracy skills

• Children quickly demonstrate increased use of vocabulary, improved listening skills and greater confidence to explain their ideas.

4. Strong phonics foundation

• Daily phonics sessions, regular moderation and quality assurance and targeted small‑group interventions ensure children develop secure phonological awareness, preparing them well for KS1.

5. High levels of well-being and engagement

• Observations, parental feedback, and children’s participation in whole-school events (assemblies, trips) demonstrate that children feel safe, happy and confident.

EYFS Curriculum Documents