Welcome to Reception

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The staff ratio in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides a safe, secure and caring environment which allows the children to be gradually introduced into school routines. The classrooms are well equipped and the children have a separate play area from the older children.

“Children make a strong start to their schooling in the well-appointed, suitably staffed and rigorously managed early years setting.”

Ofsted 2017

At Juniper Hill it is our intent that all children who enter our EYFS have the opportunity to develop socially, emotionally, physically, verbally and cognitively, regardless of background, circumstances or needs in a safe and nurturing environment. We aim to work collaboratively with our community of parents and carers to provide every child with the skills to become happy, independent, creative and curious lifelong learners who have the courage to try new things and subsequently reach their full potential. It is our intent that all the children in EYFS will be encouraged to be respectful to their peers, the adults they encounter in school and in the school community as well as their environment.

We follow The Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundations Stage (Revised 2021). 

The Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage (Revised 2021)

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework was developed to support children’s learning and development from birth to five years.  The Areas of Learning and Development in the Framework have three prime areas:

• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

We also support children in four specific areas through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied these are:

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

Our Reception staff provide children with exciting and appropriate play experiences and learning opportunities to enable them to develop in all the above areas. The children engage in learning both inside and outside through a mixture of child-initiated, adult-directed and adult-led activities. Teachers are experienced and are able to recognise each child’s strengths and areas that require more support to develop new skills. 

It is important that young children feel safe and secure in their surroundings.  All the adults in the EYFS setting place a strong emphasis on getting to know all the children and on building positive relationships with each child and their carers.  Each class teacher is supported by a Learning Support assistant (LSA) and we have an apprentice LSA who works with both the Reception classes. We encourage the opportunity to work together with parents to help children develop to their full potential and encourage the sharing of information about children on an ongoing basis.