Early Years

Our Early Years at Horbury Primary Academy, consists of a Nursery Unit and two Reception classes, which provide safe, secure, calm and stimulating indoor and outdoor environments for our children to learn and develop.

Nursery Environment

Reception Environment

EYFS Statement

In our Early Years Foundation Stage at Horbury Primary Academy, our aim is to provide the best possible outcomes for all our children by providing care, learning and play of the highest standards, thereby preparing children for their later stages of education.

In our role as teachers and Early Years practitioners we encourage, guide and support each child in all areas of their development, thereby creating individuals who are confident, independent, active and enquiring thinkers.

We work in accordance to the ‘Early Years Statutory Framework’ which was published in September 2021. The Framework specifies the requirement for learning and development from birth to 5 years and provides prime and specific areas, which forms the basis of our curriculum. At HPA there is a clear balance between child initiated and adult led activity to enable the children to learn, practise and embed new skills in ways which they are interested and fully engaged in. Children regularly follow their own interests in their learning.

 7 Area of Learning

The 7 areas of learning are split into three ‘Prime’ areas of learning and four ‘Specific’ areas of learning. The prime areas are important because they lay the foundations for children’s success in all areas of learning and life:

Prime Areas

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

As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. The specific areas provide the range of experiences and opportunities for children to broaden their knowledge and skills:

Specific Areas

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

Themes and Principles

Our Early Years Foundation Stage is made up of four specific themes. These themes underpin all the EYFS guidance.

The unique child

The framework states that every child is unique, who are constantly learning, and that they can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive relationships

By supporting the children and building positive relationships with them, they can learn to be strong and independent.

 Enabling Environments

Children learn and develop successfully when placed in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs, and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and carers.

 Learning and Development

Children develop and learn in different ways. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

We work closely with our parents and carers to provide an integrated and comprehensive approach to learning.

The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Unit – September 2021 is available to view on the Policies page of our website.