EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)

At Hannah Ball Academy, our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) gives every child an ambitious, inclusive start to school. We inspire a love of learning and build the confidence, resilience and curiosity pupils need to flourish — not just in Year 1, but for life. Our approach is rooted in our motto, “Together we Inspire, Aspire and Achieve,” and shaped by our values of honesty, kindness, respect, responsibility, resilience and curiosity.

Curriculum and intent

Our EYFS curriculum is based on the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the 2025 expectations for school readiness, safeguarding and inclusion. We teach the seven areas of learning through carefully sequenced experiences, so pupils build secure knowledge and skills over time. We place particular emphasis on early language, reading and oracy because these are the foundations pupils need to access the full curriculum.

We aim to develop pupils who are:

• Confident communicators — able to talk about ideas, listen to others and use a rich vocabulary.
• Resilient, independent learners — who approach challenges with curiosity and growing self-regulation.
• Engaged readers and storytellers — who experience daily storytelling and high-quality reading that foster fluency and comprehension.
• Ready for Year 1 — with strong social skills, age-appropriate independence and foundational knowledge of phonics, maths and writing.

Our Pedagogy (How we teach)

• High-quality interactions: adults model skills and language, use purposeful questioning and scaffold learning, so pupils make rapid progress.
• Systematic phonics and reading: we deliver a structured phonics programme (Essential Letters and Sounds) alongside daily story-time, rhyme and talk-rich activities.
• Play with purpose: continuous provision is planned to promote independence, problem-solving and creativity; adults use focused interactions to extend learning in the moment.
• Metacognition for young learners: staff use simple ‘think aloud’ and modelling, so pupils learn how to plan, monitor and reflect on their learning.
• Graduated support: we use a graduated approach to identify and respond quickly to needs, so pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged receive timely, evidence-informed support.

Inclusion, wellbeing and community

We believe every pupil is unique. Our EYFS is highly inclusive: we identify strengths and needs early, adapt the environment and teaching, and work closely with families and external professionals. Pupil wellbeing and PSED (Personal, Social & Emotional Development) sit at the heart of our practice — we use emotional coaching, visual support and predictable routines so children feel safe, valued and ready to learn. Our curriculum reflects and values the diversity of our community while widening pupils’ experiences and ambitions.

Transition and Outcomes

We increase structure and challenge across the year and work with Year 1 staff to ensure child-centred transitions. Our aim is that pupils leave Reception with the oral language, social resilience and basic phonics, maths and early writing skills needed to thrive in Key Stage 1. We monitor progress closely so any gaps are addressed quickly and no child is left behind.