Early Years

Early Years Curriculum Statement

At Cranford Park Academy, we believe that the Early Years Foundation Stage is crucial in securing solid foundations to allow children to develop physically, verbally, cognitively and emotionally whilst embedding a positive attitude to school, learning and the wider community. 
 
The EYFS is made up of three prime areas of learning: Communication and Language, Physical 
Development and Personal Social and Emotional Development. There are also four specific areas:  Literacy, Maths, Understanding the World and  Expressive Arts and Design. All areas are equally important and are supportive of each other so are not delivered in isolation. We strive for all children to achieve their full potential by providing a personalised and enriched curriculum which caters for all their needs, adapting as they develop along their learning journey with us.  
 
Our learning environments, both inside and outside, are stimulating and exciting, evolving naturally to meet the needs of the children. The children in EYFS at CPA have the wonderful opportunity  to build resilience, confidence and self-esteem through our Forest School programme in our natural woodland area.  
 
In the EYFS, the children are immersed in books from a young age, through weekly library visits, taking reading books home, reading workshops run by the local librarian with Book Start resources, Talk for Writing scheme and Family Read sessions.  

We use the Sounds-Write scheme for our phonics programme, which enables pupils to visualise phonemes as part of a word and therefore teaches children to fluently segment and blend unfamiliar words. Children in Reception are heard to read individually on a weekly basis in school and are given 2 new reading books each week that are consistent with their phonic knowledge and fully decodable.  
We pride ourselves in working closely with our families to support and help their children to grow and learn. Some of the more  innovative  ideas that have worked at CPA are our ‘Stay and Engage’ sessions, Play to Learn sessions, Family Reads, How to Help workshops and Phonics Lesson Drops Ins.  
 
At the end of the Foundation Stage, our children will have developed the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes which will underpin their present and future education.