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Early Years Foundation Stage

Our provision for children's learning and development is guided by "The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage" as well as "Early Years Outcomes". These documents set the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure the children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure 'school readiness' and gives children a broad range of knowledge and skills to equip them to progress through life.

The four overarching principles which shape our practice are:

A Unique Child

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

Learning and Development

Children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates. Provision covers the education and care of all children including those with special needs and disabilities.

Enabling Environments

Children learn and develop well in enabling environments in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between nursery and home.

Positive Relationships

Children learn to be strong and independent through positive, warm and loving relationships with parents, practitioners and peers.

Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. The care and education offered in our settings helps children to continue and extend this by providing all of the children with interesting activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

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There are 7 broad areas of learning which shape and guide our daily practice. For each area, the guidance sets out the Early Learning Goals which state what children are expected to know by the end of their reception year - when they leave the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

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Early Years Outcomes / Development Matters sets out what the likely stages of progress are that a child makes along their learning journey towards the Early Learning Goals. These stages of progress inform our daily teaching, planning and assessment.

The 7 areas of learning:

Prime areas:

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development

  • Communication and Language

  • Physical Development

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  • Literacy

  • Mathematics

  • Understanding the World

  • Expressive Arts and Design

Specific areas:

Characteristics of Effective Learning:

These 3 characteristics also guide and shape our daily practice. They refer to how children learn and opportunities are given daily for children to develop these life-long characterisitcs of effective learning.

  • Playing and exploring (engagement)

  • Active learning (motivation)

  • Creating and thinking critically (thinking skills)

Children's learning and development:

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