Our Early Years Foundation Stage

St Jude’s is a one-form entry primary school. This means we have one class per year group, starting with our wonderful reception class (children aged 4-5years old).
At St Jude’s, we recognise the importance of the Early Years as the foundation of a child’s future learning and development. For many children, this will be their first experience of life in school and we aim to ensure that in reception, all children and their families are given a positive start to school life in which each child can thrive.

What will my child learn?

Our reception class follows the 7 areas of learning and development outlined in the 2021 EYFS statutory framework and these are used to support the design of our curriculum in the reception class. At St Jude’s we value the importance of each area of learning, appreciating how each of them are inter-connected and support one another. The 7 areas are split in prime and specific areas.

The 3 prime areas are:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development

The 4 specific areas are:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

The Characteristics of Effective Learning also underpin learning and development across all areas. They describe behaviours children use in order to learn; these abilities and attitudes will support them to learn well and make good progress in prime and specific areas of learning and development.

The Characteristics of Effective Learning are:

• Playing and Exploring – Engagement
• Active Learning – Motivation
• Creating and Thinking Critically – Thinking

How will my child learn?

Play underpins the planning and teaching in the early years at St Jude’s; we agree that it is essential for the development of all areas of learning.

Our Early Years Team understand that children learn best when they are engaged and active.

Our practitioners value individual interests and plan inspiring activities and creative experiences to helpchildren learn new things, practise new skills and develop as learners.

This done through a variety of ways including: adult-led activities, child-led activities and through a carefully planned and resources environment (known as the Continuous Provision).

More information about what and how our children learn in reception can be found in our EYFS Policy.

Our Reception Good Level of Development Progression Grid shows the expected development in the
different areas of learning in the reception class.

For more information about life in our reception class, please see our Topic Webs on our Reception Class Page and our Reception Curriculum Map.

We would love to meet you – please visit us by booking a School Tour!