How the Early Years Curriculum is Delivered at Kirkby CE
Kirkby Church of England Primary School – Nursery and Reception
Academic Year 2026–2027
At Kirkby Church of England Primary School, we provide an ambitious, inclusive, language-rich and play-based Early Years curriculum in which every child is supported to develop from their individual starting point.
Our curriculum is designed around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, supported by Development Matters, our Nursery and Reception Long-Term Plans, progression documents and continuous provision planning.
We recognise that young children learn best through a combination of secure relationships, purposeful play, high-quality adult interaction, carefully planned teaching and first-hand experiences.
Our curriculum is sequenced so that important knowledge, vocabulary, behaviours and skills are introduced, revisited and developed with increasing complexity and independence as children move from Nursery through Reception and towards Year 1. Nursery long term plan 26-27
Our EYFS Curriculum
The seven areas of learning are interconnected and are developed throughout our indoor and outdoor provision.
The three Prime Areas are Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and Physical Development.
The four Specific Areas are Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design.
The Prime Areas underpin children's development across the whole curriculum. Communication, relationships, physical development, independence and self-regulation are therefore prioritised throughout the EYFS day rather than being taught only as separate lessons.
Our Reception curriculum builds deliberately upon the foundations established in Nursery so that children's learning becomes increasingly secure, sophisticated and independent. Nursery long term plan 26-27
Our Long-Term Curriculum
Our Nursery and Reception Long-Term Plans identify the knowledge, vocabulary, skills and experiences we want children to encounter across the year.
In Nursery, learning is organised through the broad contexts of Marvellous Me, Celebrations, Out of this World/Into the Woods, Spring/Growth/Life Cycles, Farm/Dinosaurs and Under the Sea/Transport and Travel. Nursery long term plan 26-27
In Reception, children develop their learning through Marvellous Me, Let's Celebrate, Around the World, Once Upon a Time, Growth – Plants and Animals and Underwater Worlds. Reception LTP 2026-27
These themes provide meaningful contexts for learning, but they are not the curriculum in themselves. Our priority is the progression of knowledge, vocabulary and skills. Weekly and short-term planning remains responsive to children's interests, starting points, assessment information and emerging needs while maintaining the intended curriculum sequence.
Teaching Through Play and Continuous Provision
Play is central to the way our children learn.
Our continuous provision is carefully planned so that children can revisit, practise, apply and deepen previous learning independently. Core provision remains consistent enough for children to know where resources belong, make choices confidently and develop increasingly sophisticated play.
Areas are enhanced purposefully in response to the Long-Term Plan, children's interests and assessment. Enhancements are used when they will introduce vocabulary, revisit knowledge, address a learning need or give children a genuine reason to read, write, count, measure, investigate, design, create or collaborate. Kirkby_Nursery_Continuous_Provi…
Adults play an important role within continuous provision. They observe children carefully, join play sensitively, model vocabulary and skills, ask purposeful questions, introduce appropriate challenge and engage in sustained shared thinking. Adults also recognise when to step back so children can continue their learning independently.
In Reception, continuous provision builds directly from Nursery and allows children to apply learning from Read Write Inc, White Rose, Literacy Counts, communication and language teaching and the wider curriculum in meaningful contexts. Kirkby_Reception_Continuous_Pro…
Outdoor learning is regarded as an important part of our curriculum rather than an addition to it. Children have opportunities for large-scale physical development, construction, investigation, creativity, mathematical thinking, language development and problem solving through our outdoor environment, Forest School and first-hand experiences.
Communication and Language
Communication and Language is at the heart of our EYFS curriculum.
Adults prioritise high-quality back-and-forth interactions, listening, questioning, storytelling, singing, rhyme and vocabulary development throughout the day.
We use Elklan-informed strategies alongside information from WellComm assessments to identify and support children's communication and language development. Adults model and extend children's language, introduce new vocabulary and provide repeated opportunities for children to hear and use vocabulary in meaningful contexts. Nursery long term plan 26-27
Children are encouraged to talk about their experiences, ask and answer questions, explain their ideas, retell stories and increasingly sustain conversations with adults and other children.
Literacy, Phonics and Reading
We aim to develop children who love books, stories, rhyme, poetry and reading.
In Nursery, children develop the foundations required for later reading and writing through high-quality stories, environmental print, rhyme, rhythm, syllables, oral blending, sound discrimination and purposeful mark making. The agreed Read Write Inc Nursery approach is introduced when developmentally appropriate, preparing children for systematic phonics teaching in Reception. Nursery long term plan 26-27
In Reception, Read Write Inc is taught daily. Children learn to recognise taught grapheme-phoneme correspondences, blend for reading and segment for spelling. Children read decodable books matched closely to their phonics knowledge and receive additional practice promptly where required.
Literacy Counts supports our Reception literacy curriculum. Children experience carefully selected high-quality texts and move through a sequence of immersion, analysis, planning, writing, reviewing, editing and sharing. Reading, speaking and writing are also deliberately developed throughout continuous provision so children understand that literacy has a real purpose. Reception LTP 2026-27
Mathematics
Mathematics is taught through a combination of explicit teaching, practical experiences, mathematical talk and continuous provision.
Nursery follows Master the Curriculum, with children developing strong foundations in counting, subitising, one-to-one correspondence, comparison, number composition, pattern, shape, space and measure through practical and playful experiences. Nursery long term plan 26-27
Reception follows White Rose Maths. Children progressively develop their understanding of number, subitising, counting, composition, number relationships, pattern, shape, space and measure.
Practical resources and manipulatives are used to secure children's understanding before moving towards more abstract representations, and mathematical opportunities are embedded throughout construction, water, sand, role play and outdoor learning. Reception LTP 2026-27
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development underpins children's readiness to learn.
Our curriculum supports children to develop secure relationships, confidence, independence, resilience, self-regulation, empathy and an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and safe.
We use Jigsaw to support planned PSED teaching alongside everyday routines, relationships, stories, conversations and play.
Children learn to understand and manage feelings, build friendships, cooperate with others, resolve small conflicts, persevere when something is difficult and increasingly take responsibility for themselves and their environment.
Physical Development
Children have daily opportunities to develop both their gross and fine motor skills.
Our planned physical development curriculum is supported by Get Set 4 Education and develops movement, balance, coordination, spatial awareness, fundamental movement skills, ball skills, teamwork and confidence.
Continuous provision further develops core strength, hand and finger strength, pencil grip, threading, scissor control, construction, mark making and tool use.
As children progress through EYFS, they are encouraged to become increasingly independent in dressing, toileting, eating and other aspects of self-care.
Understanding the World
Understanding the World is developed through first-hand experiences, stories, photographs, maps, artefacts, visits, visitors, local walks, nature, technology and investigation.
Children learn about themselves, their families and community before gradually developing their understanding of celebrations, beliefs, different cultures, the past, contrasting places, seasons, plants, animals, life cycles, habitats and the environment.
Our local community, Christian ethos and links with St Chad's Church also provide meaningful opportunities for children to learn about faith, belonging, people and the world around them.
Expressive Arts and Design
Children are given frequent opportunities to explore and develop their own ideas through drawing, painting, collage, modelling, construction, music, dance, movement, storytelling and imaginative play.
Resources are open-ended wherever possible so that children make their own creative choices rather than producing identical outcomes.
Music in Reception is also supported through Charanga, with children developing their understanding of pulse, rhythm, pitch, singing, movement, instruments and performance as they progress through the year.
Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning
The Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning are embedded throughout Nursery and Reception.
Children are encouraged to play and explore, investigating and experiencing things and being willing to have a go; to demonstrate active learning by concentrating, persevering and enjoying their achievements; and to create and think critically by developing their own ideas, making connections, solving problems and choosing strategies.
These characteristics are developed through both adult-led and child-initiated learning and are fundamental to the confident, independent learners we want our children to become. Nursery long term plan 26-27
Inclusion and High Expectations for Every Child
Our curriculum is ambitious for every child, including children with SEND, children with EAL, disadvantaged children and children who may experience other barriers to learning.
We make appropriate adaptations to teaching, communication, routines, resources and the environment while maintaining high expectations.
Where appropriate, children with SEND are supported through Play Plans, support plans and/or EHCP outcomes. Staff work closely with parents, the SENCO and other professionals, using visual supports, communication strategies, sensory approaches, adapted resources and additional adult support where these help a child to participate and succeed.
Books, resources and experiences are selected to represent diverse families, cultures, faiths and communities and to promote a strong sense of belonging.
Assessment and Monitoring
Assessment is an ongoing and proportionate part of high-quality teaching.
Practitioners use their observations, conversations with children, children's work, adult-led and child-initiated learning, information from parents and professional knowledge to understand what children know, can do and need to learn next.
We use Development Matters to support curriculum thinking and professional judgement; it is not used as a tick-list.
Starting points are established during induction and the first weeks once children have had time to settle and develop relationships.
Both Nursery and Reception are formally reviewed termly using iTRACK. Leuven Scales are used to consider children's wellbeing and involvement, and termly pupil-progress meetings with the Headteacher and phase team review progress, support and next steps. WellComm, Read Write Inc assessments and progress towards SEND plans provide further information where appropriate. EYFS_Assessment_Approach_and_Ba…
Reception children complete the statutory Reception Baseline Assessment and, at the end of Reception, the statutory EYFS Profile.
The Early Learning Goals support the statutory assessment at the end of Reception; they are not used as the Reception curriculum itself.
We do not expect practitioners to produce excessive written observations or photographs as evidence. Assessment should arise naturally from teaching, interactions, children's learning and practitioners' professional knowledge. EYFS_Assessment_Approach_and_Ba…
Working in Partnership with Families
We recognise parents and carers as children's first and most enduring educators and value a strong partnership between child, family and school.
Families are involved through regular communication, ClassDojo, Stay and Play sessions, opportunities to join children in class, workshops, parents' evenings, shared events and WOW Church.
We provide guidance to help families support reading, phonics, independence and learning at home and encourage parents and carers to share their child's achievements, interests and experiences so that these can contribute to learning in school.
Transition
Transition is carefully planned throughout the Early Years.
Information from parents, previous settings, key workers, assessment and professional advice helps us establish children's starting points when they join us.
Our Nursery curriculum deliberately establishes the foundations that children need for Reception, and our Reception curriculum then develops these with increasing depth and independence.
As children prepare for Year 1, we focus particularly on language, reading, writing, mathematics, physical readiness, self-regulation, independence, resilience and confidence. Relevant information is shared with Year 1 staff to ensure continuity of learning and support. Reception LTP 2026-27(9)
The Impact of Our EYFS Curriculum
By the end of their time in EYFS, we want our children to be happy, safe, confident, curious and resilient learners who are willing to have a go, can communicate their ideas, build positive relationships, make choices, solve problems and increasingly manage their own learning and personal needs.
Our aim is not simply to prepare children for an assessment at the end of Reception. It is to provide the strong foundations in language, reading, mathematics, physical development, personal development, creativity, curiosity and independence that they need to flourish as they move into Year 1 and beyond. Reception LTP 2026-27