Curriculum & Learning

Early Years Framework

At Buckingham Primary Nursery, we are ambitious in our offer for every child. The Early Years Framework echoes this in its recognition that every child deserves the best possible start in life and receives the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. 

We recognise that children develop quickly in the early years and so a child's experiences between birth and the age of five, have a major impact on their future life chances.  It is important for children to have secure, safe and happy childhoods.  The Early Years Framework highlights the importance of good parenting and high-quality early learning together to provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities as they grow.

More information of the EYFS can be found by clicking the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

The Foundation Stage is the name given to the phase of learning from 0 to 5.  By the end of the Foundation Stage (the end of Reception) most children are expected to achieve the Early Learning Goals and where appropriate go beyond them.

Our curriculum follows the Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early years Foundation Stage. This document specifies the requirements for learning and development in the EYFS and provides the prime and specific areas of learning we must cover in our curriculum. We also use Development Matters to support the delivery of our curriculum.

The Prime Areas:

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

The Specific Areas - through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied:

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

A child’s individual learning characteristics determine the way they respond to both the teaching and learning taking place within the provision. The three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are:

• Playing and Exploring – children investigate and experience 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.

We believe strongly in the Seven Features of Effective Practice as referred to in the; Working with the revised Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice by Julian Grenier

We have developed our own, bespoke Nursery Curriculum for our children. Our Curriculum Goals are the end point before the children join Reception class with a series of developmental milestones underneath each one.

Buckingham Primary Nursery Curriculum Goals

Below is our Nursery and Reception progression of knowledge and skills document:
/docs/Playing___Learning/Progression_in_Early_Years_at_BPS.pdf