At Berrycoome School, our curriculum is deliberately designed to secure strong foundational knowledge and skills in Reception and Key Stage 1, recognising that many of our pupils enter school with significant speech, language and communication needs, additional SEND, and starting points below national expectations. In response to this local context, we place a clear and uncompromising emphasis on the explicit teaching and sustained practice of core foundations, including spoken language, early reading, writing, number fluency, physical development, self‑regulation and positive learning behaviours. These foundations are carefully identified, clearly sequenced and prioritised so that pupils are not expected to undertake complex tasks before they are developmentally ready. Our curriculum intent reflects the evidence that strong early foundations have the greatest impact on pupils with the lowest starting points; therefore, teaching focuses on fluency, repetition and meaningful application across all areas of learning, not just English and mathematics. By embedding foundational skills across the whole curriculum and adopting a consistent, inclusive approach, we ensure that all pupils—particularly the most vulnerable—are equipped with the knowledge, confidence and behaviours they need to successfully access the wider curriculum as they progress through the school.