“Play is the highest form of research”
- Albert Einstein
Welcome to Olga’s Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Olga Primary School includes Nursery (Cherry Class) and Reception (Lime and Orange Classes).
The Early Years provide the essential foundation for your child’s learning journey, a time when they develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence that will help them get the very best start in life.
At Olga, we are committed to creating a nurturing, safe, and happy environment where children can thrive. We know that children’s wellbeing is at the heart of all learning, and we strive to ensure every child feels valued, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.
“Children learn and develop at a faster rate from birth to five years old than at any other time in their lives, so their experiences in early years have a major impact on their future life chances.”
- Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework, GOV.UK
Our setting offers a stimulating, imaginative, and engaging learning environment filled with inspiring opportunities. We encourage exploration and creativity through the use of open-ended and natural resources, helping to spark curiosity and a love of learning.
The Early Years Framework
The EYFS is built around seven areas of learning and development, all of which are interconnected and equally important.
The Prime Areas
These three areas form the foundation for all learning and are crucial for building relationships and developing key life skills:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The Specific Areas
The four specific areas strengthen and extend the prime areas, igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Leading to History, Geography, Science, and R.E.
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Leading to Art, Music and Design Technology
Olga’s EYFS Curriculum
At Olga, we follow the Early Years Framework alongside Development Matters to guide the learning, development, and care of every child.
Our curriculum takes a holistic approach, focusing on both the Prime and Specific Areas while incorporating the essential foundational knowledge that children need to reach their potential.
Language and Communication
Language development sits at the heart of our EYFS curriculum. Some children join us with a rich vocabulary and are challenged through creative, ambitious language experiences. Others begin their journey with English as an additional language or specific speech and language needs. Our curriculum is carefully structured to support every child, using language-rich texts, stories, and activities across all areas of learning.
We ensure our children encounter a diverse range of poems, songs, and stories that reflect their own lives and the rich diversity of our community. Representation matters and we want every child to see themselves and their families reflected in our books, resources, visitors, and experiences.
Learning Environment and Continuous Provision
Our EYFS environment is thoughtfully designed to support the curriculum and promote creative, meaningful play-based learning. Through continuous provision, children demonstrate their knowledge and understanding, becoming ‘experts’ in different areas of the setting.
Open-ended resources encourage curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. For example, our construction and block play areas in Nursery and Reception help children develop concepts of balance, space, shape, measure, and stability.
Alongside continuous provision, planned enhancements enrich play and introduce new learning opportunities to extend children’s thinking.
Individualised Learning
We understand that equality does not mean sameness, and each child’s learning journey is unique. Our planning reflects this through personalised teaching, targeted interventions, parent and carer workshops, and enriching educational experiences.
We strongly believe in learning through play, balanced with carefully structured lessons that support the teaching of key knowledge and skills. Our play-based curriculum is designed around the unique child, ensuring learning is joyful, purposeful, and developmentally appropriate.
Please see below for the yearly overviews for both Nursery and Reception. This sets out the key knowledge, texts, and “Big Ideas” explored throughout the year.
Olga’s EYFS Curriculum Rationale
Children join Olga Primary from a wide range of backgrounds and starting points. Our EYFS curriculum is designed to remove barriers to learning and give every child an equal opportunity to succeed.
We maintain a strong focus on communication, language, and high-quality texts, ensuring our teaching reflects and celebrates the diversity of our community.
Our curriculum carefully balances:
- Child-led learning, where children’s interests shape their exploration and discovery; and
- Explicit teaching, where essential knowledge and skills are taught clearly and systematically.
Foundational knowledge for wider curriculum subjects in Key Stage 1 and 2 is organised under ‘Big Ideas’, which connect the EYFS Framework, Early Learning Goals, and the National Curriculum, helping children make meaningful links in their understanding.
Educational Visits and Experiences
We believe that real-life experiences are a vital part of learning. Our children enjoy a wide range of educational visits and visitors that bring learning to life, from exploring local community spaces to discovering London’s landmarks.
Typical visits and experiences include:
- City farms
- Local shops
- The theatre
- The London Eye
- The fire station
We also welcome visitors such as dentists, doctors, and artists, who share their expertise, inspire curiosity and open our children’s eyes to possibilities.
