Overview of the Early Years curriculum

Progression in learning

The Cambridge Early Years Curriculum is a planning tool. The learning statements within it are designed to promote progression in learning and development from EY1 to EY3 and onwards into Primary. It enables development of knowledge, understanding and skills through a spiral approach: by revisiting and engaging with topics and skills at deeper levels and in different contexts across the stages.

As well as considering the progression of children’s learning and development across early years, it is also important to consider children’s transition into EY1 and on to primary school.

The Cambridge Pathway from Early Years to Cambridge Advanced

Transition to EY1

Each of your children will have had different experiences before joining EY1 – some may have had no experience of learning beyond the home and others may have already spent time in another learning environment. You should take a child-centred approach to smoothing transition into EY1 which responds to individual needs. The following guidance will help with this:

Making links with the home and wider community
An inclusive learning environment
A multilingual approach
Differentiation

In addition, Transition to EY1 provides key developmental milestones and ideas for evaluation activities to support you in evaluating each child’s competencies as they enter EY1, and in planning an appropriate learning pathway for them.

Transition to Primary

Children who are appropriately equipped to make a successful transition from early years to primary are not only more likely to adapt quickly to primary school life (e.g. processes, teaching and learning methods and rules) but are also more likely to progress well academically.

The Cambridge Early Years Curriculum is designed to provide children with knowledge, understanding and skills linked to well-established milestones for physical, cognitive, language and communication, and social and emotional development. It provides a solid foundation for any primary school curriculum.

Cambridge Early Years transitions to Cambridge Primary Stage 2 of the Cambridge Pathway. It includes the Cambridge Primary Stage 1 concepts, but supports more informal, play-based teaching and learning approaches and holistic planning, which may be more suitable for your early years setting. If your school uses the Cambridge Primary Programme, you can choose to use either EY3 of Cambridge Early Years or Stage 1 of Cambridge Primary for ages 5 to 6. Both prepare children well for Cambridge Primary Stage 2. For more information, see Transition to Cambridge Primary.