Early Years refers to the stage of a child’s development from birth to around five years old, when the foundations for learning, behaviour and health are established. It focuses on supporting children’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive development through play, exploration and positive relationships. This stage is crucial in helping children develop confidence, communication skills and a love of learning that will support them throughout their education.
At Quinton Primary School and Nursery, our Early Years setting is a nurturing, home-from-home environment where children feel safe, happy and valued, and are encouraged to explore, play and grow in confidence. Through strong relationships and meaningful, play-based experiences, our experienced staff support children’s wellbeing, helping them to build relationships, understand their emotions and develop independence, curiosity and resilience. Learning is enriched through stories and outdoor opportunities, fostering creativity, language development and a love of reading, while promoting physical exploration. We celebrate each child’s individuality, work closely with families, and ensure every child feels excited to come to school, confident to try new things, and well prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.
We place great importance on helping children develop the skills they need for life. In our Early Years provision, children learn to build friendships, manage their feelings, and become independent and resilient. They practise sharing, taking turns, and working together through play, stories, and group activities.
Our story-led curriculum encourages children to think creatively, solve problems, and communicate confidently, while opportunities for choice and responsibility help them develop self-confidence and a sense of pride in their achievements. These skills underpin everything we do and prepare children not just for school, but for life beyond the classroom.
At Quinton Primary School and Nursery, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework to guide all teaching and learning. This framework ensures children get the best possible start in life, helping them develop socially, emotionally, physically and academically.
We also use Development Matters, which provides guidance on the skills and knowledge children typically develop at each stage. These resources help our teachers plan exciting, meaningful learning experiences that meet each child’s needs and interests.
The EYFS framework is organised into seven areas of learning, all of which are important and connected.
Prime Areas:
Specific Areas:
Learning is playful, engaging, and hands-on, giving children the chance to explore at their own pace, follow their interests, and build confidence in every area.
Our curriculum is story-led, meaning we use carefully chosen books as the foundation for learning across the Early Years. Stories help to introduce new vocabulary and language patterns, inspire imaginative play and creativity, and support children’s emotional understanding and social skills. They also provide a meaningful context for cross-curricular learning across areas such as maths, science and art. By using stories as the starting point, children are able to connect their learning to real experiences, make sense of the world around them, and develop a lifelong love of learning.
We believe that parents and carers are a child’s first and most important teachers, and we place great value on working in close partnership with you.
We do this by:
By working together, we ensure that every child feels supported, understood and confident, both at home and at school.
Starting Nursery or Reception is a big and exciting milestone, and we understand that it can bring a mixture of emotions for both children and families. At Quinton Primary School and Nursery, we take great care to ensure that every transition is gentle, supportive and personalised.
We see transition as a journey, not just a single event. Through visits, stay-and-play sessions, meetings and ongoing communication, we help children to become familiar with their new environment and build trusting relationships with staff. We work closely with parents and previous settings to ensure continuity, so children feel safe and secure from the very beginning.
Our nurturing approach, including a strong key person system, helps children to settle confidently, develop independence and feel a true sense of belonging as they begin their Early Years journey with us.
In Early Years, assessment is a natural and important part of how we support your child’s learning and development. Rather than formal tests, we get to know each child through careful observations, conversations, guided work and everyday experiences. This helps us understand what your child can already do, what they enjoy, and what their next steps in learning should be.
We use the Development Matters age bands to guide our planning and assessment, ensuring activities are appropriate to each child’s stage of development. For each area of learning, we follow a clear progression, helping children to build on what they already know and achieve the next steps in their journey.
We regularly share your child’s learning with you through weekly news updates on Tapestry, as well as conversations and progress check-ins, so you can celebrate achievements and support learning at home. Our aim is to ensure that every child is supported, challenged, and able to thrive at their own pace.