Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
We offer provision in accordance with the EYFS Framework to ensure our setting provides for the needs of the individual child. There are four key themes in the EYFS; A Unique Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environments, Learning and Development.
The learning and development opportunities we offer are committed to the themes and principles within the reformed EYFS framework (effective from September 2021) and now consist of three prime areas and four specific areas. The prime areas cover the knowledge and skills which are the foundation for children’s school readiness (the EYFS continues during their first Reception year at primary school) and future progress, and which are applied and reinforced by the specific areas – particularly literacy and maths – they form an appropriate baseline for the National Curriculum which begins at year 1 in primary school.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
We offer a safe, friendly environment for children to develop confidence, self-respect and independence. They are all given equal opportunity to initiate ideas and take responsibility for themselves, the group and property. We help the children understand the importance of health and self-care by encouraging them to make independent healthy choices in relation to eating, sleeping and hygiene therefore contributing to all round good health.
Physical Development
Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength and co-ordination.
Communication and Language
We encourage the children to talk about their own experiences and support them in learning to listen to others. We develop language skills using a wide range of activities e.g. acting, role play, storytelling, poems, songs and most importantly talking and listening, all in all providing a rich language environment.
Mathematics
We provide children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting using various methods e.g. songs and rhymes, creating and recognising patterns and sequences, recognising and naming shapes, understanding simple ideas of length, weight and volume, and finding out ways of dealing with problems and thus acquiring essential mathematical skills.
Literacy
Through activities and daily routine staff encourage individual children and small groups to participate in all sorts of ‘mark making’ including writing patterns, names, letters and shapes. We provide daily opportunities for children to recognise their own names, letters and familiar words and to always have access to a wide range of reading material, thus developing basic reading skills. We encourage children to link sounds and letters.
Understanding of the world
We encourage the children to explore and understand their environment, community, people, places and technology. We encourage exploration of other cultures/religions therefore learning tolerance as well as an understanding of their own culture. We use safe and well maintained equipment for the children to experiment and observe within a stimulating environment. We encourage their natural curiosity and delight in the “but why?” questions!
Expressive arts and design
We encourage children to play with a wide range of media and materials as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities such as music making, singing, movement and dance. We create opportunities for imaginative role play, both individually and in a group. We use dough, clay, paint and various other materials to encourage exploration.
