EYFS

In Early Years at New Horizons Primary School, we provide a secure, happy and caring environment in which every child can develop and learn. We are passionate in our commitment to making a difference for each individual and believe that by providing a combination of purposeful adult-led activities and engaging, carefully planned play opportunities, during which children benefit from high quality interactions with adults following the SHREC approach (EEF, 2025), enabling children at all stages of development to thrive. 

‘Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.’ 

 - Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, 2021

At New Horizons Primary School, we recognise that the EYFS is a crucial stage in children’s development and education. We strive to ensure that young children are motivated by an engaging curriculum with a balance of adult initiated and child led play and learning; supporting development and independence. Albert Einstein recognised that ‘Play is the highest form of research’. For young children, play is the vehicle for exploring and learning, developing new skills, and connecting with others. Through play, children practise talking, singing, writing, reading and developing key skills that serve as a foundation for school readiness. Relationship building is crucial. Through nurture, questioning, clear routines and challenge, children’s characteristics of learning are developed, supporting them in becoming a confident and resilient learner. 

At New Horizons Primary School, we aim to… 

•  provide a safe, secure, caring and well-resourced learning environment which supports children to be successful learners and happy, confident individuals. 

• provide support, encouragement and challenge to meet the individual needs and promote good progress for all children. 

• promote a love of learning through a rich, vibrant and engaging curriculum 

• nurture children’s characteristics of effective learning and support them in developing confidence and resilience in learning. 

•  lay the foundations and support children to develop skills, behaviour and dispositions for effective learning and later life.

Areas of Learning and Development 

Our EYFS curriculum is carefully planned to ensure continuity and progression of skills in the seven areas of learning and development identified in the EYFS profile. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. 

 The three prime areas reflect the skills and capacities all children need to develop and learn effectively and these are: 

• Communication and Language Development 

• Physical Development 

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development 

There are also four specific areas through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied: 

• Literacy 

• Mathematics 

• Understanding the World 

• Expressive Arts and Design 

Characteristics of Effective Learning  

In planning and guiding children’s activities, staff also reflect on the different ways that children learn. We believe that it is as important to respond not just to what children learn but also how they learn. These are highlighted through the EYFS Characteristics of Effective Learning: 

• Playing and exploring: children investigate things and ‘have a go’. 

• Active Learning: Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements. 

• Creating and thinking critically: Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things. 

These characteristics of engagement, motivation and thinking are not just for Early Years but are the learning values that are promoted throughout the children’s time at New Horizons through our learning heroes. Throughout children’s time in Early Years, our learning heroes are introduced alongside the dispositions and behaviours that they promote. 

Characteristics of Effective Learning  

In planning and guiding children’s activities, staff also reflect on the different ways that children learn. We believe that it is as important to respond not just to what children learn but also how they learn. These are highlighted through the EYFS Characteristics of Effective Learning: 

• Playing and exploring: children investigate things and ‘have a go’. 

• Active Learning: Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements. 

• Creating and thinking critically: Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things. 

These characteristics of engagement, motivation and thinking are not just for Early Years but are the learning values that are promoted throughout the children’s time at New Horizons through our learning heroes. Throughout children’s time in Early Years, our learning heroes are introduced alongside the dispositions and behaviours that they promote.