Early Years at Durham

In the Early Years, play is the foundation of development and learning. Play fosters social interaction. It ignites creativity and imaginative thinking and provides the opportunity for children to transform their emerging knowledge and understanding into active, concrete experiences. Through purposeful play, children explore and discover, create and problem solve, question and find answers, work together and individually, develop physical and perceptual skills.

Our Early Years curriculum at Durham International School follows the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage framework, giving every child a clear, supportive pathway for learning and growth. It’s designed to make sure children progress at their own pace, while meeting age-appropriate milestones in a fun and engaging way.

The framework has seven areas of learning and development, starting with three ‘prime areas’ - the building blocks for everything else:

Communication and Language: helping children develop listening, understanding, and speaking skills.
Physical Development: improving coordination, movement, and self-care, while encouraging healthy habits.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development: building confidence, resilience, and strong, positive relationships.

Once these foundations are in place, learning expands into four ‘specific areas’:

Literacy: fostering a love of stories, phonics, early reading, and writing.
Mathematics: exploring numbers, counting, shapes, and problem-solving.
Understanding the World: discovering people, places, technology, and nature.
Expressive Arts and Design: unleashing creativity through art, music, drama, and imaginative play.

Together, these areas ensure every child develops the skills, curiosity, and confidence they need for a lifelong love of learning.