Our EYFS - The Early Years Foundation Stage
Rooted in Faith, We Reach for the Stars!
At Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, every child deserves the very best start.
Our Early Years, in Trinity Preschool and our Reception classes is a nurturing, inclusive and ambitious environment where children feel safe, valued and known. Through warm relationships, purposeful play, rich experiences and high-quality teaching, we help children develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and independence they need to flourish.
Rooted in our Christian vision and lived through our CARE values – Community, Aspiration, Resilience and Enjoyment – we celebrate every child's individuality, have high aspirations for all and encourage children to be curious, confident and resilient learners.
From their very first day, we help every child reach for the stars.
Some of the wonderful comments from Ofsted, March 2026.
- "Leaders have designed an ambitions, well-organised early years curriculum."
- "Pupils get off to a flying start in early years and leave Reception very well prepared for their learning in Year 1."
- "Teaching is highly effective. Skills skilfully adapt lessons and activities."
- "Staff know pupils very well and activities are designed to spark children's curiosity."
- For more information on Ofsted at our school, click here.
If your child is due to join us this September, or next September, for Reception please follow the link below where you will find a new starter page with helpful information.
We provide a caring and inclusive environment where each child is nurtured in their early steps, grounded in strong values and a sense of belonging. With faith as our foundation, we encourage curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning - helping every child to grow in confidence and reach their full potential. A warm, welcoming, and nurturing environment is provided, where children take their first steps into school life with confidence and curiosity.
What makes Holy Trinity C of E Primary School and Trinity Preschool different?
- Relationships come first
We take time to know each child as an individual. Strong, trusting relationships help children feel safe, secure and ready to learn. - We have high aspirations for every child
We believe every child can flourish. We provide the right balance of support, challenge and encouragement so that children can achieve their potential and develop a love of learning. - We nurture curiosity
Children are encouraged to ask questions, explore, investigate and make connections. We provide rich experiences that help them discover more about themselves, each other and the world around them. - We build independence
From managing everyday routines to solving problems and making choices, children are given increasing opportunities to do things for themselves, develop confidence and take responsibility. - We celebrate every child
Children have different strengths, interests, experiences and needs. We get to know each child well and adapt our teaching, environment and support so that every child can participate, learn and flourish. - We are rooted in faith
Our Christian vision shapes the way we care for children, build relationships and create our community. Through our CARE values, children learn to care for others, persevere, have aspirations and find joy in learning. - At Holy Trinity, we want every child to know that they belong, that they matter and that they can achieve great things.
Every child at Holy Trinity follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework, carefully designed to help them flourish from their very first days at school.
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“A child's experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances."
(EYFS Framework 2021)
Our curriculum brings together the Guiding Principles, the Seven Areas of Learning and the Characteristics of Effective Learning, ensuring every child develops academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. These elements are woven together through our curriculum rather than taught as isolated subjects.
While every school follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, the experiences, opportunities and relationships that bring it to life are unique to each setting.
At Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, our Christian vision, CARE values and dedicated Early Years team create an environment where children feel safe, valued and inspired to learn. Our carefully designed curriculum goes beyond meeting statutory requirements, providing rich experiences that nurture curiosity, confidence, independence and a lifelong love of learning.
Recognised by Ofsted as achieving the Strong Standard for EYFS in March 2026, these are the qualities that make our Early Years provision exceptional and help every child flourish from their very first day.
Early Years Framework
Please click on the links below for more information on Early Years Framework.
At Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2021 framework, which sets the standards for the learning, development, and care of children in the early years.
The revised framework focuses on helping children build strong foundations in communication, language, personal development, and early literacy and numeracy.
Our curriculum is designed to meet the goals detailed in the framework through play-based, hands-on experiences that inspire curiosity, independence, and a love of learning.
We aim to give every child the best possible start to their educational journey.
(Curriculum Guidance for the EYFS)
Strong Foundations
The Department for Education’s Strong Foundations: The Importance of the Reception Year report (2023) highlights the crucial role the Reception year plays in building the core skills children need to succeed throughout their education.
It places particular emphasis on secure development in spoken language, phonics, early reading, and mathematics, alongside the need to ensure all children - especially those who are disadvantaged -make strong progress from the very start of school.
At Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, we are fully committed to these principles and have embedded them into our Early Years practice. Our carefully planned Reception curriculum is ambitious, engaging, and rooted in high-quality interactions between adults and children. We prioritise spoken language and communication, recognising that strong oral language skills underpin all other learning. Staff model rich vocabulary, encourage meaningful conversations, and provide daily opportunities for children to develop their confidence in speaking and listening.
In addition to subject knowledge, we also recognise the vital role of executive functioning-the mental skills that help children plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks. These skills are critical for learning and self-regulation, and they develop rapidly in the early years.
Through daily routines, turn-taking games, sustained shared thinking, and opportunities for independent exploration, we support children in building working memory and flexible thinking. These skills not only help children access the curriculum but also support their emotional wellbeing and resilience.
By the end of Reception, our aim is for every child to leave with strong foundations, both academically and in terms of their personal development, so they are confident, capable, and ready to thrive in Key Stage 1 and beyond.
Oracy
Oracy means speaking and listening well.
It helps children share ideas, understand others and feel confident.
Good oracy helps children:
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Learn better
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Build confidence
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Make friends
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Express thoughts and feelings
How to support oracy at home:
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Talk every day: Ask open questions like “What made you feel happy today?”
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Listen carefully: Give your child time to speak and show you’re listening.
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Build vocabulary: Explain new words as they come up.
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Read together: Talk about stories and ask questions.
Encourage confidence: Praise effort and let children speak without constant correction.
Remember that everyday conversations make the biggest difference.
Phonics
At Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, we follow Sounds-Write, a DfE-validated phonics progr
amme that provides a highly effective and structured approach to teaching reading and spelling.
We chose Sounds-Write because it is evidence-based, systematic and well-suited to supporting all children.
It focuses on developing strong foundational skills in phonemic awareness, decoding and segmenting, helping children become confident, fluent readers from the very beginning.
By using a consistent and carefully planned approach, we ensure that every child is given the best possible start in their reading journey.
For more information, links and videos, please visit our dedicated Spelling and Phonics Webpage