Nursery and Reception

”Welcome to Early Years

Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage at Oulton Primary School. At our school, Early Years is made up of both our Nursery and Reception classes. We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment where every child feels valued, supported and inspired to learn. We believe that children learn best when they are happy, engaged and encouraged to explore the world around them.

Our curriculum is carefully planned around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, whilst also building upon the interests and passions of our children. This allows us to create meaningful learning experiences that spark curiosity and develop a lifelong love of learning.

The EYFS curriculum is divided into seven areas of learning:

Prime Areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Specific Areas

Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design

Our School Drivers in Early Years

Our school values of Independence, Cooperation and Resilience are at the heart of everything we do.

Independence is encouraged from the moment children join us. We support children to make choices, manage their belongings, care for their learning environment and become confident learners who are willing to have a go.

Cooperation is developed through play, group activities and shared learning experiences. Children learn how to listen to others, take turns, work as part of a team and build positive relationships with both their peers and adults.

Resilience is fostered by encouraging children to persevere when faced with challenges, learn from mistakes and develop confidence in their own abilities. We celebrate effort and determination, helping children understand that learning often involves trying again.

Our Curriculum Themes

Our curriculum is designed to inspire curiosity, develop knowledge and skills, and provide meaningful learning experiences throughout the year. Each half term, children explore an exciting learning theme that acts as a vehicle for learning across all areas of the EYFS curriculum.

Autumn 1 - Ourselves and the Environment Around Us
Children begin their Early Years journey by learning about themselves, their families, friendships and their school community. They explore their immediate environment, develop a sense of belonging and begin to understand changes in the world around them.

Autumn 2 - Who is a Superhero?
Children discover real-life superheroes, including people who help us in our communities, as well as exploring characters from stories. Through this theme, they learn about kindness, bravery, helping others and what makes each of us special.

Spring 1 - Starry Sky
Our Starry Sky topic sparks children's imagination as they explore space, planets, stars and space travel. Through stories, creative activities and investigations, children develop their sense of wonder about the world beyond Earth.

Spring 2 - What Changes Happen in Spring?
Children investigate the signs of spring, seasonal changes, weather, plants and new life. They enjoy observing nature and exploring how the world around them changes as the seasons progress.

Summer 1 - Who Lives/Lived on Planet Earth?
This exciting theme encourages children to learn about a variety of animals, habitats and creatures from the past. From minibeasts to dinosaurs, children develop their understanding of living things and how our world has changed over time.

Summer 2 - Under the Sea
Children dive into an underwater adventure, exploring oceans, sea creatures and marine habitats. Through stories, investigations and creative learning opportunities, they develop an appreciation for the wonders of the natural world and how to care for it.

These engaging themes provide opportunities for children to explore, investigate, ask questions and make connections in their learning. By following children's interests within each topic, we ensure learning remains exciting, memorable and purposeful while developing the knowledge and skills needed for future success.

Learning Through Exploration

Our dedicated Early Years team works closely together to ensure a smooth and successful transition from Nursery to Reception. We carefully balance adult-led teaching with child-initiated learning, enabling children to learn in ways that suit their individual needs and interests.

We operate a free-flow environment, allowing children access to high-quality learning opportunities both indoors and outdoors throughout the day. Outdoor learning is a particularly important part of our provision and you will often find us in our wellies and puddle suits, exploring our outdoor spaces and woodland area in all weathers. These experiences help children to investigate, create, problem-solve and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Preparing Children for the Future

Our aim is to provide children with rich experiences and exciting opportunities that inspire wonder, curiosity and a desire to learn more. As children move into Reception, we begin to introduce more structured teaching sessions, including:

Read Write Inc. Phonics to develop early reading and writing skills
White Rose Maths to build a strong mathematical foundation
These carefully planned sessions sit alongside our play-based curriculum, ensuring children are both challenged and motivated as they prepare for the next stage of their education.

Home Learning

We believe that learning is most successful when school and home work together. To support children's learning and development, home learning activities are sent out each Friday. These activities provide opportunities for children to practise and consolidate key skills taught in school, while also encouraging families to share in their child's learning journey.

Homework is shared both via Tapestry and in paper format, ensuring it is accessible for all families. Activities may include phonics practice, reading, maths, topic-based challenges or opportunities to develop children's creativity and independence at home.

We encourage children to complete their home learning with support from parents and carers where needed and to share their achievements with us through Tapestry. Celebrating learning both in and out of school helps to build confidence, resilience and a love of learning.

Working in Partnership with Families

We value the strong relationships we build with our families and believe that children make the greatest progress when home and school work together. We share children's achievements, special moments and learning experiences through Tapestry, our online learning journal, and love seeing the wonderful learning and adventures that take place outside of school too.

Sharing Information and Assessment

We believe that parents and carers play a vital role in their child's learning journey. Throughout the year, we share information about your child's progress, achievements and next steps in learning.

We use observations, assessments and everyday interactions to build a clear picture of each child's development. This information is shared regularly through our online learning platform and discussed during Parents' Evenings.

We encourage parents and carers to share achievements, interests and special moments from home, as these help us to understand and support each child as an individual. By working together, we can provide the best possible learning experiences for every child.

On the door conversations

We value working closely with parents and carers and believe that good communication is key to helping every child thrive.

Members of the Nursery and Reception team are available at the classroom door each morning and afternoon for brief messages, updates and celebrations of your child's achievements.

As these times can be busy, longer or more confidential discussions may need to be arranged separately. If you would like to speak with a member of staff in more detail, please contact the school office to make an appointment.

We also communicate regularly through our school communication systems, newsletters and parent meetings, keeping families informed about learning, events and important information throughout the year.

We encourage parents and carers to speak to a member of the Early Years team whenever they have a question, concern or something positive to share. By working together, we can provide the very best experience for every child.

Parents evening

We hold two in-person Parents' Evenings each year, giving parents and carers the chance to meet with their child's teacher, celebrate achievements, and discuss next steps in learning.

These meetings are an important opportunity to work together to support your child's learning, wellbeing and development.

The dates and times for these will be shared via the school newsletters and reminders will be sent.

Together, we strive to create an environment where every child feels happy, confident and ready to flourish both now and in the future.

Miss SlinnPhase Leader