Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Achievement – Wellbeing – Excellence
At Two Bridges, we strive to provide a nurturing, stimulating, and exciting Early Years curriculum. We work closely with families to ensure our pupils feel safe, happy, and fully supported as they begin their school journey with us.
Every child come to us with their own unique strengths. We build on these individual starting points to create fun, engaging experiences that ignite curiosity, foster independence, and help every learner reach their full potential.
Our approach blends play-based exploration with adult-guided learning and positive relational support. Pupils learn across specialised classroom environments and outdoor spaces - taking full advantage of our Forest School and swimming facilities.
Above all, working in close partnership with our families is vital to our success, ensuring a smooth transition into school life and beyond.
Learning Through Play & How We Teach
Play is essential for children’s development. It builds confidence as pupils learn to explore, form relationships, set their own goals, and solve problems. At Two Bridges Academy, we capture each child’s emerging interests, using warm interactions and predictable routines to blend child-led play with adult-guided learning. Staff have regular CPD on play, and we have a dedicated HLTA whose role is to support play across our school.
We adapt our approach to match each child’s unique learning style by supporting four key Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning:
- Playing and Exploring: Encouraging children to investigate, experience new sensory environments and feel confident to ‘have a go’
- Active Learning: Supporting children to concentrate, build resilience when faced with challenges, and celebrate their own personal achievements.
- Creating and Thinking Critically: Empowering children to make choices, form their own ideas, connect experiences, and solve practical problems in ways meaningful to them.
- Emotional Wellbeing: Nurturing self-worth, emotional literacy, and a sense of belonging so every child feels safe, connected, and valued within our school community.
As our pupils progress through the school, we build upon these foundations to guide them towards their next steps in learning.
EYFS Framework
Our curriculum is structured around seven interconnected areas of learning, tailored to meet the individual, sensory, physical and developmental needs of our pupils.
Prime Areas of Development
These form the building blocks for all future learning, independence, and relationship-building:
- Communication & Language: Tailored support using total communication approaches (including visuals, AAC, and Makaton signs) to ensure each and every pupil has a voice.
- Personal, Social & Emotional Development: Nurturing self-regulation, emotional wellbeing, confidence, and positive relationships in a safe environment.
- Physical Development: Developing both fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing integration, and physical independence.
Specific Areas of Learning
As our pupils build their confidence in the prime areas, we ignite their curiosity and apply their learning through four specific subjects:
- Literacy: Shared stories, phonics, and mark-making
- Mathematics: Practical problem-solving, sensory counting, patterns, and spatial awareness.
- Understanding of the World: Exploring our local community, nature, science, and technology
- Expressive Arts & Design: Creative expression through music, art, messy play, and role-play.