Early Years

Curriculum

At Northdown Primary School, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and we are guided in our practise through Development Matters and the Statutory Framework for the Early Years.

The Early Years Foundation Stage is made up of seven key areas. These areas are as follows:

Prime Areas

? Communication and Language
? Physical Development
? Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Specific Areas

? Literacy
? Maths
? Understanding of the World
? Expressive Arts and Design

For a child to reach their full potential, it is essential to first build strong foundations in the Prime Areas before progressing to the Specific Areas. Each area of development is deeply interconnected and relies on the others for growth.  Children’s learning and development flourish through a balance of adult-led guidance and child initiated exploration. 

Within our Early Years setting, our curriculum is designed to spark curiosity and create a rich, engaging environment where children can take ownership of their learning. We provide hands-on experiences and meaningful challenges that inspire exploration, ensuring every opportunity is suited to each child’s age, stage, and individual needs.

At Northdown Primary School, we see children as natural explorers who thrive when their curiosity is nurtured. By introducing themes through ‘big questions,’ we encourage children to think deeply, make connections, and develop a lifelong love of learning. Our Early Years environment is carefully designed to be exciting and enriching, helping children stay engaged and eager to learn.

Each term begins with a special ‘Hook Day,’ designed to capture children’s interest and spark curiosity about the new theme. Throughout the term, we also provide additional enrichment experiences – such as trips and visits from special guests – which bring learning to life and make it even more meaningful for the children

Assessing Child Development

In the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment is part of daily intrinsic practice. Through regular observations and interactions practitioners gain fundamental knowledge of a child's achievements within the 7 areas of learning and are able to then use this information to identify and plan for individualised next steps.  Development is continuously monitored and at the end of Reception, children are then assessed against the Early Learning Goals which equates to Good Level Development.

Curiosity Time 

Throughout the day, children have the opportunity to extend and deepen their learning through play, in what we call ‘Curiosity Time’. This is a carefully planned part of the day where children can follow their own interests while accessing a range of indoor and outdoor activities. It allows them to explore new ideas as well as revisit and strengthen what they have already learned.

‘Curiosity Time’ is a vital element of early learning, as it not only supports children in developing knowledge and skills but also helps them to grow as independent, confident individuals. It encourages important life skills such as resilience, problem-solving, and working with others.

During this time, children show what are known as the Characteristics of Effective Learning, which describe how young children learn best:

• Playing and exploring – showing curiosity, investigating new experiences, and being willing to ‘have a go’.

• Active learning – concentrating and persevering when things are challenging, and celebrating their successes.

• Creating and thinking critically – developing their own ideas, making connections between them, and finding their own ways of solving problems.

The role of the adult during ‘Curiosity Time’ is to observe and interact with children in ways that support and extend their learning. Adults guide and challenge children’s thinking, while also giving them the freedom to explore and take ownership of their own learning journey.

Environment

At Northdown Primary School,, we have created an environment designed to spark curiosity and inspire children to become independent, creative learners. Both our indoor and outdoor spaces are carefully organised into areas of provision, each equipped with high-quality resources that children can access every day. These continuous provision areas provide endless opportunities for exploration, helping children to revisit and build on what they already know while also encouraging them to discover new ideas.

To keep learning exciting, we regularly enhance these spaces with new resources and challenges that reflect the children’s interests, support specific areas of development, and link to the themes we are exploring together. This ensures that children are always engaged, motivated, and making meaningful connections in their learning.

Outdoor learning is a vital part of our curriculum. We provide regular opportunities for children to learn outside, where they can develop important skills, enjoy new experiences, and benefit from the physical and emotional wellbeing that comes from being in the fresh air.

Our adults play an active role in all of these environments, observing and supporting the children as they play. By encouraging, guiding, and extending their ideas, adults help children to develop language, problem-solving skills, resilience, and confidence. These high-quality interactions ensure that children’s learning across all areas is supported and that they develop a strong foundation for the future.

Parent Participation 

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, we work closely with parents and carers to build strong, positive partnerships, as we believe this is key to fostering an effective learning environment. By working together to support each child’s development, we help lay the foundations for lifelong learning.

Throughout the year, parents are invited to take part in a variety of activities with their children in class. These opportunities allow parents to engage directly with their child’s learning, gain a clear understanding of their progress, and celebrate their achievements together.

At Northdown, we maintain an ‘open door’ policy, welcoming parents to share any concerns or questions they may have. We also use a range of communication tools to keep parents informed and involved. Parent Gateway allows parents to book school meals in advance and report any absences,  while Arbor is used to communicate important information and notices to parents. 

By fostering strong communication and collaboration between home and school, we ensure that each child’s learning journey is supported, consistent, and celebrated.

The Nursery

The Cove Nursery at Northdown Primary School provides a stimulating and supportive environment in which children begin their learning journey in the term following their third birthday.

Our Nursery offers flexible session options to meet the needs of families, including morning (8.45am–11.45am), afternoon (12.30pm–3.30pm), and all-day (8.45am–3.30pm) provision. Families can choose five morning or five afternoon sessions each week, term time only, which equates to the 15 hours of government-funded part-time nursery education. Qualifying families may also access 30-hour government funding for all-day provision.

Within The Cove, children participate in a broad range of experiences that are carefully planned to support development across all Prime and Specific Areas of Learning outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage. These experiences combine adult-led and child-initiated learning, enabling children to explore, investigate, and develop key skills in communication, physical development, personal, social and emotional development, literacy, and mathematics. Resources and activities are continuously available to children, allowing them to revisit and consolidate learning, while regular enhancements provide additional challenges linked to children’s interests and the thematic curriculum.

Our highly skilled staff observe, guide, and scaffold learning to ensure that every child can engage fully and achieve their potential. The environment, both indoors and outdoors, is carefully designed to encourage exploration, creativity, and independence, fostering a love of learning from the earliest stages.

Collaboration and continuity are central to our approach. Strong links across the Early Years setting ensure smooth and consistent transitions, providing Nursery children with a secure foundation as they progress into our Reception classes. This continuity ensures that each child’s learning journey is coherent, well-supported, and tailored to their individual developmental needs