Overview of the Early Years Foundation Stage

To implement our EYFS curriculum we begin each new year by looking at the individual needs of our children and take into account their different starting points to develop our flexible curriculum which enables them to follow the path of their learning journey, at a point, that is suitable for their unique needs and stage of development. Four guiding principles shape our practice, these are:

Unique Child:

Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive Relationships:

Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.

Enabling Environments:

Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers.

Learning and Development:

The EYFS framework includes 7 areas of learning and development that are equally important and inter-connected. However, 3 areas known as the prime areas are seen as particularly important for igniting curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building children’s capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

The prime areas are:

Communication and Language

Physical Development

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

The prime areas are strengthened and applied through 4 specific areas:

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the World

Expressive Arts and Design

Characteristics of Effective Learning:

Interlinked with these subject areas are the children’s characteristics of learning which we support and help develop by providing children with opportunities to initiate ideas and activities so that they can develop the learning characteristics which are assessed by the EYFS profile. The following characteristics also support lifelong learning:

Children;

• Are willing to have a go

• Are involved and concentrating

• Have their own ideas

• Choose ways to do things

• Find new ways of doing things/problem solving

• Enjoy achieving what they set out to do