Nursery Curriculum

EYFS INTENT

At Marlborough Road Academy, we believe every child deserves a happy, safe and nurturing start to their education. Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides a stimulating and inclusive environment where children feel valued, confident and excited to learn.

Across our EYFS, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework, which sets out the requirements for learning and development in the early years. The framework identifies seven areas of learning, including three Prime Areas and four Specific Areas, which form the foundation of our curriculum.

Prime Areas

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

Specific Areas

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

These areas are carefully woven throughout our curriculum to ensure children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed for future success.

We recognise that every child is unique. By building strong relationships with children and their families, we develop a deep understanding of each child’s interests, strengths and next steps. We value the experiences children bring from home and previous settings and use these as a foundation for future learning.

Our ambitious EYFS curriculum is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes children need to become successful learners. Through carefully planned experiences, purposeful play and high-quality adult interactions, children develop academically, socially, emotionally and physically. We create a language-rich environment that promotes communication, vocabulary development and a love of learning. Staff are trained to support speech and language development, including through ELKLAN strategies and WellComm assessment, ensuring children receive the support they need to thrive.

We celebrate the diversity of our school community and the wider world. Children learn about different cultures, faiths and celebrations, helping them develop respect, understanding and pride in their own identity and the identities of others.

Learning takes place both indoors and outdoors, with well-resourced environments designed to encourage curiosity, exploration and independence. Children have daily access to our extensive outdoor provision, where they can investigate, create, collaborate and take risks in a safe and supportive setting. Through opportunities to select resources, solve problems and follow their interests, children develop confidence, resilience and independence.

In EYFS, positive relationships are at the heart of our provision. Through Conscious Discipline and our class family ethos, children learn to care for others, take responsibility, and contribute positively to their community. We teach children to understand and regulate their emotions, develop resilience, and use effective problem-solving strategies to build respectful, healthy relationships with their peers.

Our aim is that every child leaves Nursery ready for Reception and every child leaves Reception ready for Year 1, having developed the knowledge, skills, confidence and love of learning needed to succeed in the next stage of their education.

To find out more about daily routines and learning opportunities in EYFS, please view our EYFS timetable on the school website.

Nursery Implementation

In Nursery, our curriculum focuses primarily on the Prime Areas of Learning, which provide the essential foundations children need to succeed across all areas of the EYFS curriculum. Through high-quality interactions, purposeful play and carefully planned experiences, we support children’s communication, physical development, and personal, social and emotional wellbeing.

Communication and Language is at the heart of learning in Nursery. All children are assessed using the WellComm speech and language programme to identify individual strengths and next steps. These assessments inform targeted support and teaching. Children participate in daily opportunities to develop speaking, listening and vocabulary, including dedicated communication and language sessions and our What’s in the Box? programme, which introduces new vocabulary, develops language in context, explores rhyme and syllables, and supports early literacy skills.

Physical Development is promoted through a range of indoor and outdoor experiences. Initial assessments help staff identify children's gross and fine motor starting points, informing provision and targeted activities. Our dedicated ‘Funky Fingers’ areas develop finger strength, pencil control and hand-eye coordination, while outdoor learning and physical play build strength, balance and coordination.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development is central to our Nursery provision. Each child is allocated a key worker who builds strong relationships, monitors progress and supports their emotional wellbeing. Daily circle times, stories, songs and discussions help children develop confidence, understand emotions and build positive relationships. Learning is closely linked to the Characteristics of Effective Learning, encouraging children to become motivated, resilient and independent learners.

How do we teach in Nursery?

A significant part of the Nursery day is spent engaging in continuous provision, where children revisit, practise and apply taught skills through purposeful play. Our language-rich indoor and outdoor environments provide opportunities for children to explore, investigate and follow their interests. Adults actively engage in learning alongside children, modelling language, extending thinking and strengthening relationships.

Alongside continuous provision, children take part in carefully planned adult-directed sessions linked to phonics, communication and language, early literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and physical development. Learning is designed around clear progression and supported by the principles of Development Matters.

Children participate in daily Read Write Inc. Nursery phonics sessions, developing early phonological awareness through stories, songs, rhyme and oral blending. As children progress, they begin blending sounds and applying their phonics knowledge within their independent reading and writing.

To promote collaboration and active participation, children are introduced to age-appropriate Kagan cooperative learning structures, helping them learn with and from their peers. Teaching is further strengthened through Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, including modelling, questioning, small-step teaching, regular review and opportunities for repeated practice.

At Marlborough Road Academy, we believe children learn best through meaningful play, exploration and interaction. Our Nursery curriculum provides a rich, engaging and nurturing environment where every child develops the confidence, independence and skills needed for a successful transition into Reception.

Impact

The impact of our EYFS curriculum is measured through ongoing assessment, observation and children's progress across all areas of learning.

In Nursery, we monitor children's attainment against age-related expectations and use this information to identify next steps and provide targeted support. In Reception, children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals, including the percentage of children who achieve a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of the Foundation Stage.

However, success in EYFS extends beyond assessment outcomes. We evaluate the impact of our curriculum through the confidence, independence, wellbeing and engagement of our children. By the end of Nursery, children are familiar with school routines, expectations and values, enabling them to thrive in Reception. By the end of Reception, children are well-prepared for the academic, social and emotional demands of Year 1.

Our EYFS curriculum ensures that children leave Marlborough Road Academy as confident communicators, enthusiastic learners and independent individuals who are ready for the next stage of their educational journey.