At Heartwood Federation, our vision and values are at the heart of everything we do. One of the key benefits of being part of a federation is the opportunity to work collaboratively, sharing expertise, effective practice, resources and professional knowledge across our schools. By working together, we are able to strengthen provision for all children while ensuring that staff benefit from a supportive network of colleagues who learn from one another and develop practice together.

To support this collaborative approach, Heartwood Federation has an Early Years Subject Champion who acts as an ambassador for Early Years education across the federation. The Subject Champion leads professional development, facilitates the sharing of best practice, supports curriculum development and helps ensure high-quality provision for our youngest learners across all our schools.

Our overarching Early Years vision, curriculum principles and progression documentation are shared across the federation. This reflects the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which provide a common framework for all schools. As set out by the Department for Education, the EYFS framework:

“sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure children learn and develop well” and “ensures children have the knowledge and skills they need to start school.” 

The EYFS itself establishes consistent expectations for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five years of age, and all schools and Ofsted-registered providers are required to follow this framework. 

While our shared curriculum vision and progression ensure consistency and high standards across the federation, an equally important aspect of Heartwood Federation is that each school retains its own unique identity. Our schools serve different communities and children with differing interests, experiences and needs. As a result, the way the curriculum is delivered may vary between schools.

This means that although the long-term curriculum intentions and progression are aligned across the federation, medium-term and short-term planning is tailored to the children within each setting. Teachers and practitioners respond to the needs, interests and development of their children, ensuring that learning remains meaningful, relevant and engaging.

This balance of shared ambition and local autonomy is a defining strength of Heartwood Federation: working together to provide the very best Early Years education while celebrating the uniqueness of each school community.

For further information about the Early Years curriculum in each setting, including medium-term planning and current areas of learning, please visit the individual Early Years pages for: