EARLY
YEARS

Our intent: a bespoke and progressive curriculum, that is thoughtfully sequenced to enable Early Years children to build and deepen their knowledge, develop strong skills, and engage in exceptional curriculum experiences.

Our Early Years curriculum provides children with an exceptional foundation, which fosters a lifelong love of learning. Through themed learning experiences, children are encouraged to take an active role in their learning, resulting in creative, resilient learners. Our dedicated team places the child at the heart of everything they do, creating a nurturing and supportive environment where every child feels safe to grow and thrive as an individual. We believe this foundation gives children and their families an exceptional start to school life.

Parklands children are fully immersed in their learning through creative, themed experiences that shape our rich and engaging curriculum.

Reading and phonics are central to our EYFS, with daily whole-class phonics sessions, individual reading opportunities, and dedicated class story time. We foster a deep love of reading by exposing children to a wide variety of books during literacy sessions. One Friday a term, parents and carers are invited to join our Friday Reading sessions, sharing stories with their child in a warm and welcoming environment. Our children also have unlimited access to our beautiful school library, ensuring they continue their love of reading at home too!

Literacy and maths are seamlessly embedded throughout the Parklands EYFS curriculum, offering meaningful and engaging learning experiences both indoors and outdoors. Early number skills and writing opportunities are thoughtfully planned into all areas of our setting, ensuring a strong foundation for future learning. Our outdoor classroom extends these experiences even further, with a dedicated Maths and Writing Shed that allows children to explore literacy and numeracy independently in a dynamic, hands-on way.

We believe that a child’s physical development is just as important as their intellectual growth. Our well-designed classrooms, expansive outdoor learning spaces, and nature-rich environments provide opportunities for children to explore, develop resilience, and engage in active learning.

Each week, big outdoors sessions, which take place in our onsite Forest school, enrich the children’s learning, offering hands-on experiences in nature. From whittling and making fruit dyes to exploring the natural world, these sessions encourage curiosity, problem-solving, and a sense of adventure—rounded off with a well-earned hot chocolate around the campfire at the end of term!

Our approach nurtures happy, engaged children who develop a genuine love for learning and school. Families feel deeply connected to our community, fostering a true sense of belonging—Parklands Primary isn’t just a school; it’s their school. Reception is where our wonderful children start to grow their strong roots.

By the end of Early Years, children have built a strong foundation of essential skills, ensuring a smooth and successful transition into Year 1. They leave as confident, resilient learners, ready to build on their early experiences and make excellent progress throughout Key Stage One.

The impact of our approach is evident, with the proportion of children achieving a Good Level of Development at the end of Early Years consistently exceeding national averages.