Early Years Foundation Stage

Throughout EYFS (Nursery and Reception) everyone works hard to develop each child's capacity to learn, helping them to make good progress and develop excellent attitudes.

Learning in the Foundation Stage reflects the EYFS Statutory framework and Development matters guidance 2021. (seen below) The curriculum is based around four principles:

Every child is a unique individual who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and carers.
Children develop and learn in different ways. Practitioners teach children by ensuring challenging, playful opportunities across the prime and specific areas of learning and development.

Learning is categorised into seven areas: three prime and four specific.

Prime areas are fundamental; work together and move through to support development in all other areas. The prime areas are:

Personal, Social and Emotional development
Physical Development
Communication and Language

The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas, and provide important contexts for learning. The specific areas are:

Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design

Development Matters

Our curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of the EYFS curriculum - Development Matters Document (click above photo) .

Characteristics of Effective Learning

We ensure that the Characteristics of effective learning support the development of the Unique Child in how children are learning.

There are 3 Characteristics of Effective Learning. Practitioners use these to make judgments about how children learn and to plan for next steps of progress which will engage and excite learners catering for their unique learning styles.