The Foundations Curriculum is designed to give pupils a rich and meaningful starting point for learning, linking Understanding the World and Creative Arts and Design in ways that are developmentally appropriate and engaging. It is a literacy-led curriculum, with six key themes running throughout the year, each driven by carefully selected books that are age-appropriate and structured to support progressive knowledge and understanding. Through storytelling, shared reading, and related activities, pupils explore ideas and concepts while developing early literacy skills.

Mathematics is integrated through a four-staged approach, where pupils engage with concrete apparatus and hands-on resources to build foundational numeracy understanding. This staged approach ensures that concepts are accessible and gradually extended as pupils gain confidence and competence.

Alongside this, Stage 4 provides a vital bridge between the Foundations Curriculum and more formal learning, allowing pupils to consolidate their early knowledge and skills while beginning to experience the structure and expectations of the next phase. Through this carefully designed curriculum, children develop curiosity, creativity, confidence, and early critical thinking, forming the essential foundations for future learning.