Reception at Abbeyfields

In Reception at Abbeyfields learning is fun, challenging, exploratory and reflective. We want our children to be happy, with opportunities to build warm, strong relationships giving them the confidence to explore and manage their feelings and the world around
them. Our language rich environment and our staff support children in developing quality conversations with familiar adults and peers. Staff model, scaffold, encourage and comment on children’s learning experiences incorporating new vocabulary effectively.

Learning provides opportunities to play and learn collaboratively building positive relationships and interactions with sustained conversations extending appropriate language.

Learning builds on knowledge and experience, building on what our children already know. Learning allows opportunities to develop resilience, perseverance, confidence and independence. At Abbeyfields and especially in Early Years, outdoor learning is embedded within our curriculum, providing valuable experiences and opportunities for children to learn and use new vocabulary and skills, develop crucial gross and fine motor skills and lifelong skills such as problem solving, perseverance, confidence, teamwork and communication.

We use the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage Framework as a guide to the curriculum we offer. The EYFS Framework builds on the early learning that begins at home and prepares them for more formal learning in Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.

The EYFS curriculum is organised into seven areas of learning which includes the following:

Prime Areas (developed first)

  • Communication and Language
  • Personal, social and emotional development
  • Physical Development


Specific Areas (building on the prime areas)

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

In addition, the curriculum offer enables children to develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning (the skills needed to become life-long learners) which includes:

Playing and exploring – engagement

  • Finding out and exploring
  • Playing with what they know
  • Being willing to ‘have a go’

Active learning – motivation

  • Being involved and concentrating
  • Keeping trying
  • Enjoying achieving what they set out to do

Creating and thinking critically – thinking

  • Having their own ideas
  • Making links
  • Choosing ways to do things