All Areas of Development

At Our Lady’s Preschool, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum, working with the children collectively and using a key person system on all 7 areas of development:

1. Personal, Social, and Emotional Development helps preschool children build self-confidence, manage their own feelings, and grow independence. By learning to share, make friends, and navigate conflicts, our children develop the crucial relational skills needed to transition smoothly into primary school.

2. Communication and Language focuses on developing speaking, listening, and understanding skills. Through our interactive storytelling, conversations, and games, we help build the rich vocabulary and comprehension our children need to express their thoughts and succeed in school.

3. Physical Development refines both gross motor skills like running and jumping, and fine motor skills like holding a pencil. Our active play and healthy habits build our children’s physical confidence, spatial awareness, and independence for everyday tasks at preschool, in preparation for big school.

4. Literacy nurtures a lifelong love of reading and writing through songs, rhymes, and storytelling. We focus on linking sounds to letters (phonics) and developing the early writing skills our children need to express themselves confidently in reception.

​

5. Mathematics focuses on developing an understanding of numbers, counting, and simple problem-solving through play. By exploring shapes, patterns, and spatial relationships in everyday life, our children build the critical thinking skills needed for future mathematical activities at school.

​

6. Understanding the World encourages our children's natural curiosity about people, communities, and the environment around them. Through hands-on exploration and storytelling, we help our children make sense of technological tools, diverse cultures, and the wonders of the natural world.

7. Expressive Arts and Design stimulates our children to explore their imagination through art, music, dance, and role-play. By experimenting with different materials, sounds, and technologies, our children develop creative thinking, self-expression, and original ideas.