Foundational Knowledge and the Curriculum
Building strong foundations for learning
At St Mary’s Primary School and Nursery, we believe that learning begins with secure, well-sequenced knowledge. Our curriculum is built on clearly defined foundational knowledge and vocabulary, which are explicitly taught and revisited so that all pupils can succeed.
From Nursery to Reception, children develop knowledge in a structured and progressive way across all areas of learning.
How knowledge builds over time
We carefully design learning so that children:
- Start with simple ideas and vocabulary
- Build understanding through play, talk and exploration
- Develop connections across subjects
- Apply their learning in increasingly complex ways
For example:
- In Communication and Language, children move from using talk to express needs → to speaking in full sentences and explaining ideas.
- In Literacy, children progress from recognising sounds → to blending, reading and writing simple sentences.
- In Maths, children move from recognising quantities → to understanding number composition and patterns.
What this looks like in Early Years
Our provision ensures children develop across:
Prime Areas
- Communication and Language
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Through continuous provision, children learn that:
- Talk helps them think and communicate
- Vocabulary grows through play and discussion
- Knowledge builds through experience and repetition
Throughout the year, our teachers plan an exciting, hands on curriculum for the children in Early Years. Across the year each class focusses on 6 topics, 1 topic per half term. These topics are carefully planned so that the children are receiving well sequenced, high quality lessons that build on prior knowledge and show clear progression throughout the year.
EYFS Long Term Topic Plan
Our Topic-Based Curriculum (Cycle A)
We organise learning into meaningful topics that build knowledge over time:
Autumn 1: Magical Me
Children develop understanding of:
- Identity, family and belonging
- How they have grown and changed
- Their local environment
Example progression:
- Nursery: “I belong to a family”
- Reception: “People change over time and the past is different from now”
Autumn 2: Celebrations
Children learn about:
- Different celebrations and traditions
- Cultural similarities and differences
- Light, sound and materials in science
Example progression:
- Nursery: celebrations bring people together
- Reception: celebrations are linked to culture, religion and community
Spring 1: Transport
Children explore:
- How transport has changed over time
- Journeys and the wider world
- Forces, movement and materials
Example progression:
- Nursery: planes travel to places
- Reception: transport connects the world and has changed over time
Spring 2: On the Farm
Children develop knowledge of:
- Farming past and present
- Life cycles and living things
- Maps and local environments
Example progression:
- Nursery: animals grow and need care
- Reception: life cycles explain how living things change
Summer 1: Into the Woods
Children explore:
- Woodland environments
- Stories from the past
- Natural materials and habitats
Example progression:
- Nursery: woods contain living things
- Reception: habitats support survival and change with seasons
Summer 2: Wild Things
Children learn about:
- Plants, growth and habitats
- Caring for the environment
- Scientific observation
Example progression:
- Nursery: plants need water and sunlight
- Reception: living things need water, air, food and shelter to survive
Vocabulary and Knowledge
A key feature of our curriculum is the explicit teaching of vocabulary.
For example:
- Nursery: home, family, grow, road, park
- Reception: environment, community, past, present, map
This ensures children:
- Can communicate clearly
- Understand what they read
- Build knowledge across subjects
How we ensure progression
Our planning shows clear progression in:
- Language → from simple words to full explanations
- Knowledge → from personal experiences to understanding the wider world
- Thinking → from describing to explaining and reasoning
Children are supported to:
- Remember more
- Make connections
- Use knowledge independently
Impact on our pupils
Through our curriculum, children:
- Develop strong communication and language skills
- Build secure foundations in reading and maths
- Gain knowledge about the world around them
- Become curious, confident learners
EYFS Areas of learning and links to the National Curriculum
Early Learning Goals
The Early Learning Goals establish expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They are not age but developmentally related as we fully realise children at this stage can develop at an uneven rate within different areas.
At the end of the reception year we use these goals to assess your child’s level of development. If they are confident and secure within these goals they are assessed as expected. If they are working towards these goals they are emerging. These assessments are based on what the child can do independently.
Early Learning Goals
