EYFS links to National Curriculum 

The early years foundation stage framework is split into seven areas of learning. Three of these are known as the ‘prime areas’ and the other four areas are the ‘specific’ areas. The seven areas are then split into further strands as follows (shown in brackets alongside the areas of learning):

Prime areas:

• Communication and language development (listening, attention and understanding; speaking) This sets the foundations for literacy and is crucial to children being able to move onto literacy in the national curriculum.
• Personal, social and emotional development (self-regulation; managing self; building relationships). This area links with PSHE in the national curriculum. It is a very important part of EYFS and runs through most of what we do. This is how we foster social skills such as sharing, turn-taking, empathy for others, the ability to make and sustain relationships, confidence and independence, awareness of feelings, co-operation etc.
• Physical development (gross motor skills; fine motor skills). This area includes the development of gross motor skills needed for sports and physical health, and equally importantly the development of fine motor skills which are essential for children learning to hold a pencil, make marks with control and write.

Specific areas:

• Literacy (comprehension; word reading; writing)
• Mathematics (Number; numerical patterns)
• Understanding of the world (past and present; people, culture and communities; the natural world). This area links with history, geography, science and RE in the National Curriculum.
• Expressive arts and design (creating with materials; being imaginative). This area links with art, music and design technology in the National Curriculum.

Each strand is associated with an early learning goal (ELG). These are what we use to measure children against at the end of the Reception year (best fit model). In order to achieve a good level of development (GLD) at the end of foundation stage, children are expected to achieve the ELG’s in the prime areas, along with those associated with literacy and maths.

Below you will find links to our EYFS curriculum documents that show how the EYFS provides a foundation of subject specific knowledge, linked to ‘Development Matters 2021’. Alongside ‘The Statutory Requirements for EYFS (2024)’, these are the key documents that we use to inform the planning of our hands on curriculum.