Combine Finnish and UK Early Years Foundation Stage

Early Years Foundation Stage

EYFS is where the education journey begins for all students. At Cariad, we want to make this experience one that begins their lifelong love of learning and fuels their natural curiosity about the world around them.

At Cariad, we have designed a curriculum that combines the Finnish early years approach with the structure of the British EYFS. This innovative curriculum blends the child-centered, play-based Finnish approach, which emphasises social skills and a connection to nature, with the structured British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to provide a strong foundation for future learning.

Our approach blends play-based and structured learning, drawing from Finland’s emphasis on independence and well-being while incorporating the structured progression of the British EYFS. This allows children to develop social, emotional, and academic skills in an engaging and supportive environment.

A child-centered and individualised approach is at the heart of our nursery. The Finnish model tailors learning to each child’s interests and pace, promoting intrinsic motivation, while the EYFS ensures children reach key developmental milestones. By merging these methods, we create an inclusive and adaptive education that meets every child’s unique needs.

We prioritise well-being and outdoor learning, following Finland’s strong focus on happiness, outdoor play, and stress-free environments. While EYFS incorporates physical development in a more structured way, our blended model encourages active learning and emotional well-being through outdoor exploration and movement-based activities.

Finally, our curriculum fosters essential life skills, combining Finland’s focus on self-regulation, problem-solving, and creativity with EYFS’s emphasis on literacy, numeracy, and communication. This integration ensures children build a well-rounded foundation, equipping them for future learning and success.

By combining Finland’s happiness-driven, curiosity-led model with EYFS’s structured, milestone-based approach ensures academic success while nurturing well-being, making it a powerful model for early years education at Cariad International School.