Winshill Village Primary School

Early Years Foundation Stage

Subject Leader: Mrs B. Stringer

"Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential."

Vision

At Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School, our EYFS provide a nurturing, inclusive and ambitious foundations where every child feels safe, happy, and eager to learn. We deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, rooted in the EYFS framework, that prioritises communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development, while fostering curiosity across all areas of learning. Through purposeful play, high-quality interactions, and strong partnerships with parents, we aim to equip children with the knowledge, skills and independence they need to be confident, resilient, and ready for the next stage of their education.

Aims and Goals

At Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School, our mission is to nurture every child into becoming a confident, independent, and collaborative learner. We are committed to delivering a broad and balanced curriculum that supports holistic development—personal, social, emotional, spiritual, physical, creative, and intellectual—enabling each child to reach their full potential.

Our Core Aims

We strive to:

Create a welcoming, secure, and stimulating environment where children feel happy and challenged as they embark on their educational journey.
Deliver a rich, relevant, and creative curriculum that lays strong foundations for future learning in Key Stage 1 and beyond, encouraging autonomy, informed decision-making, and self-assurance.
Recognise and celebrate each child’s unique abilities, tailoring support to meet individual needs and promote continuous progress.
Foster strong, collaborative relationships with parents and carers, building a supportive partnership in each child’s learning and development.
Provide an inclusive and nurturing setting that respects and responds to the diverse needs of all children, including those requiring additional support.

Our Early Years education is shaped by the following principles:

It builds upon each child’s existing knowledge, skills, and experiences.
It promotes equity, ensuring no child is excluded or disadvantaged.
It offers a flexible framework for learning, with varied entry points and content tailored to the developmental needs of young children, supported by engaging indoor and outdoor activities.
It cultivates a vibrant and enriching environment that inspires curiosity and exploration.
It values the essential role of parents and carers, recognising them as key partners in their child’s educational journey.

Curriculum

Our early years setting follows the curriculum as outlined in the latest EYFS statutory framework, following the development Matters and Birth to Five Matters.

The EYFS framework includes 7 areas of learning and development that are equally important and inter-connected. Three areas, known as the prime areas, are seen as particularly important for building children’s capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

The three prime areas which are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, and form relationships are:

Communication and language
Physical development
Personal, social and emotional development

The prime areas are strengthened and developed, and children’s curiosity and enthusiasm are ignited, through 4 specific areas:

Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design

At Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School, we recognise that all areas of learning are deeply interconnected. The characteristics of effective teaching and learning are embedded throughout, reflecting the dynamic nature of early childhood development. As children grow, they become increasingly capable learners and thinkers—developing new skills, forming relationships, expressing themselves, and building a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

Our Approach to Early Learning

We design learning experiences that are responsive to each child’s unique needs, interests, and achievements. Our curriculum is enriched with opportunities that promote progress across all domains of development. Purposeful, well-structured play is central to our Foundation Stage, offering children the joy of discovery alongside meaningful challenge.

Through play and interaction, children deepen their understanding by:

Engaging in conversation and collaboration
Observing and exploring their surroundings
Planning, questioning, and experimenting
Testing ideas, reflecting on outcomes, and responding to others

A Rich and Responsive Learning Environment

Our learning spaces are thoughtfully arranged to reflect the full breadth of the curriculum. Children are encouraged to make independent choices, fostering exploration, creativity, and critical thinking. We offer a blend of indoor and outdoor learning experiences, including our Forest School provision, which enhances children's connection to nature and supports holistic development.

By creating strong links across all learning environments, we ensure that every child benefits from a diverse and stimulating curriculum—one that nurtures curiosity, resilience, and a love of learning.

Inclusive Support for Children with SEND

At Winshill Village Primary & Nursery School, we are proud to offer an inclusive learning environment where every child is recognised as a unique individual. Our staff are committed to adapting teaching and learning to meet the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring that all pupils feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.

We work in close partnership with parents, carers, and external agencies to provide personalised support that reflects each child’s strengths and challenges. For children identified a PDR in collaboration with families and professionals. These plans are managed through EduKey, allowing us to deliver targeted provision that complements the core curriculum and responds to a wide range of needs.

Our SENDCO, Mrs Pearsall, carefully monitors the progress of all children with SEND to ensure they are accessing an appropriate and engaging curriculum. If a child is not making expected progress, further assessment is carried out and additional support is considered to help them move forward confidently and successfully.

We are committed to creating a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where every child can learn, grow, and succeed.