: The Power of the Prime Areas: Ensuring a Smooth Transition into Year 1 A blog series on the effective transition from Early Years to Year 1.
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The Power of the Prime Areas: Ensuring a Smooth Transition into Year 1
A blog series on the effective transition from Early Years to Year 1.
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by Exchange Research School at Don Valley Academy
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Louise Stanton
Louise Stanton is the passionate and dedicated Headteacher of Waverley Academy, with a career in Early Years and Primary Education spanning over 19 years. She is committed to ensuring quality first teaching for all pupils, underpinned by research-informed practice and a relentless focus on equity and excellence.
Nicky Turner has worked in the early years sector for over 25 years in a variety of roles including Senior Local Authority Advisor, Children’s Centre Teacher, Early Years Leader, SLE and currently Early Years Primary Lead for Astrea Academy Trust. Nicky has extensive experience and expertise in the mobilisation of evidence based research projects to raise outcomes for children living in socio economically challenged areas.
Early Years often feels like its own island — a place filled with wonder, play, and exploration, where learning is driven by curiosity and supported through rich, child-led experiences and adult interactions. This island is built on the prime areas of development — communication and language, physical development, and personal, social, and emotional development (PSED) — providing children with the foundation they need to thrive. But as children prepare to step off the island and into Year 1, the transition can feel like crossing turbulent waters. Without careful planning, there’s a risk that the bridge between Early Years and the rest of school is fragile, and the very essence of what has enabled children to flourish can get lost.
The transition from play-based learning to a more formal, subject-specific approach can be a huge change for some of our children. However, the challenge doesn’t just lie with the children — it also lies with how schools approach curriculum development and the role that subject leaders play in this. Too often, Early Years practice is seen as separate, and subject leaders may not always have a deep understanding of Early Years pedagogy or the significance of play. This can lead to an unintentional disconnect, where the rich foundations built through the prime areas are overlooked, and children are expected to immediately adapt to new expectations that may not align with their developmental stage. In Year 1, play should be recognized as an ‘intellectual pursuit’ rather than a simple break from ‘real’ learning. When embedded effectively, play-based learning supports mastery of key academic skills and deep engagement with key concepts. Year 1 is key to strengthening executive function skills, helping children regulate emotions, build resilience, and develop the cognitive flexibility needed for lifelong learning. However, there is a growing risk that play becomes an ‘add-on’ or a last-minute option, think ‘wet play’, rather than an intentional and meaningful part of the school’s pedagogy. Without careful planning, play can be undervalued, missing the opportunity to enhance language development, social skills, and critical thinking. To truly support children’s development, provision must be purposeful, structured, and aligned with the prime areas, ensuring that ‘intellectual pursuit’ remains at the heart of Year 1 learning.
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) highlights the importance of high-quality transitions, emphasising that strong alignment between Early Years and Key Stage 1 practice leads to better academic and social outcomes, particularly for our most disadvantaged children. Their research reinforces the need to build upon what children already know and can do, rather than introducing a completely different learning approach. Yet, this requires schools to think carefully about their curriculum progression — not just in subjects, but in child development too. When subject leaders and Year 1 teachers understand Early Years pedagogy, they can ensure that learning continues to be meaningful, play-based, and developmentally appropriate, even as children begin to engage with the formal curriculum.
Read more about how each prime areas can feature in the Year 1 classroom:
Conclusion The transition into Year 1 should never feel like leaving the magic of Early Years behind — instead, it should feel like extending the island, where curiosity, creativity, and play continue to thrive. To achieve this, we must ensure that child development remains at the heart of practice, that play-based learning is valued, and that the prime areas are not forgotten in the pursuit of curriculum coverage. When we protect these vital elements, we don’t just ease transition — we empower every child to thrive. It’s time for all educators to truly understand the importance of Early Years pedagogy and ensure that the foundations laid in those formative years are built upon, not replaced. Because when we do, the impact lasts a lifetime.
