Hillside Primary School

Early Years

Overview

At Hillside Primary School we believe strongly in the values that the EYFS plays in laying secure foundations for a child’s future learning and development. The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage provides a principled approach to Early Years education, bringing together children’s welfare, learning and development requirements through four key themes: ‘A Unique Child’, ‘Positive Relationships’, ‘Enabling Environments’ and ‘Learning and Development.’

The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum is centred on the 3 prime areas of learning:

1. Communication and Language
2. Physical Development
3. Personal, Social and Emotional Development

And four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied:

1. Literacy
2. Mathematics
3. Understanding the World
4. Expressive Arts and Design

These areas of learning are closely interlinked and address children’s social and emotional, cognitive, physical and linguistic development. This ensures the delivery of a holistic, child-centred curriculum which allows children to develop links between learning experiences.

At Hillside Primary School we recognise that young children learn most effectively when they are active. We understand that active learning involves other people, objects, ideas and events that engage children for sustained periods. Therefore, we believe that Early Years education should be as practical as possible. Consequently, the EYFS setting at Hillside Primary has an ethos in which the importance of children’s play is recognised.