Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage
Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Southwick Primary school. Our Nursery and Reception classes provide a warm and nurturing start to each child’s learning journey. We know that every child arrives with their own unique experiences, strengths, and next steps. Some may need a little extra support with listening, language, or physical skills, and that’s perfectly okay—we are here to meet children where they are and help them flourish.
We believe that outdoor play is one of the most powerful ways for young children to learn. Our carefully planned outdoor environment gives children the freedom to move, climb, dig, and create—strengthening the physical skills that lead to confident mark-making and early writing. Shared outdoor experiences also spark rich conversations, helping children to develop the language and communication skills that underpin all future learning.
In EYFS, we place a strong emphasis on resilience. We encourage children to keep trying, solve problems, and learn from mistakes, helping them to develop perseverance and self-belief. Our daily routines—such as welcoming times, snack sessions, group activities, and tidy-up moments—are designed to promote listening and language development, providing repeated opportunities for turn-taking, questioning, and meaningful talk.
Our Early Years team is dedicated to creating a warm, inclusive, and inspiring environment where every child feels valued and secure. We work closely with families to support independence, self-care, and a love of learning, helping children build strong foundations for the years ahead.
At Southwick Primary school every day in EYFS is an opportunity to explore, communicate, and grow—both indoors and out.
Look what we’ve been up to in Reception
Autumn Term 2025
This term our topics will be;
What is in My World and How can we Care for Each Other.
At Southwick Community Primary School, we understand the importance of providing children and families with a secure learning environment emphasised by our professional, approachable and friendly staff.
This year our Reception staff are:
- Mrs Skipp- Teacher (EYFS Lead)
- Miss Casey- Teacher
- Miss Chapman- Teaching assistant apprentice
Organisation of the School Day
The reception classroom environment consists of a learning environment divided into workshop areas. Our stimulating learning environment, activities and experiences are carefully planned to challenge and meet the individual needs of all of the children and includes sand, construction, writing, reading, maths, role play, ICT, art, snack table and malleable media area.
Your child will have the opportunity to work in these areas every day. Your child will be able to use a wide range of resources to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in all areas of the curriculum. All of the classrooms have an interactive whiteboard and we have iPad’s for the children to use. These areas are called ‘continuous provision’ and allow the children to develop skills from day to day and week to week.
Throughout the year there will be whole class teaching times, small group times, and individual work for children in our setting. There will be a balance of adult initiated activities and child initiated activities. We aim to foster a sense of independence and will provide developmentally appropriate activities for children to make choices and decisions about their learning.
The children have access to the outdoor learning environment throughout the school day. The children are out whatever the weather and waterproof clothing is available for them to use. We have weekly P.E lessons in the hall, or outside in the summer. The children will have a singing/music sessions every day.
Ongoing Assessment
Your child’s progress and achievements in all areas of the curriculum will be constantly observed and assessed. Staff will focus on strengths, difficulties and areas for development that children may encounter, to enable them to make progress toward the next stage of learning. We will regularly share these assessments with you so that you can support your child at home.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum
Our curriculum covers the seven areas of learning stated in the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. These are Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Communication and Language, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design. However, at Southwick we recognise that learning through play is a natural process for young children and aim to build upon their natural curiosity. We want to ensure that learning is rewarding and enjoyable whilst recognising that children learn best when their interests are followed.
Things to Remember…….
- Please send your child in to school with their book-bag every day. These will be used for children to take home letters, pictures etc. Please check daily.
- Homework will be given out on a Friday to be returned to school on a Thursday.
- Please ensure that EVERYTHING, including coats and water bottles, are named.
- Please help your child practice putting their coat on and doing it up.
- If you send your child in with gloves, please help them learn to put them on independently.
- Please send weather appropriate clothing in for your child. Always send your child in with a coat for our very unpredictable climate!
- In the summer, sunscreen and a hat are a must! Please apply sunscreen at home and if needed we can reapply from a labelled bottle with your child’s name on it.
- PE kits which include; plimsoles, blue shorts and white t-shirts can be left in school and will be returned each half term to be washed. Ensure names are in PE kit.
Our Day
Reception – 8.55 am —3.15 pm
Dates for your diary
- Monday 8th September- Return back to school
- Friday 26th September- Macmillian Coffee Morning and European Day of Languages
- Friday 24th October- Break up for half term
- Monday 3rd November- Children return to school
P.E.
Reception P.E. – Monday. Please make sure that your child has a PE Kit in school and it is labelled.
Please help your child learn to dress and undress independently.
Homework
- Homework will be sent out every Friday and needs to be returned each Thursday.
- Reading folders will be kept on a Thursday night so reading books can be changed for a Friday.
