Curriculum and the EYFS
Key Person
All children are allocated a Key person who will observe, assess and plan for your child during sessions and work closely with your child to help meet their next steps of learning. Photos and videos are taken and a selection are published on our ClassDojo App and are also displayed in the Parent Foyer. If you wish to discuss your child’s progress or any other matter at anytime, please do not hesitate to arrange a convenient meeting time your child's Key worker or a member of the Management Team. This can also be done using the comments box situated in the Parent Foyer. At the end of the first term you will offered an appointment to discuss how your child has settled and how they are developing within the EYFS. At the end of each term you will be sent home an overview of how your child is developing with the EYFS and what the next steps are in their learning journey. In July you will be given the opportunity to view your child’s learning journal an discuss their progress.
EYFS
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The early years are critical in a child’s development as children develop rapidly during this time. Over recent years the Government has come to recognise the importance of a good start to our children’s education and developed The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The curriculum for the foundation stage is based around the following three prime and four specific areas of learning.
The development matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage document is available online at
https://www.early-education.org.uk/development-matters and is downloadable at the bottom of the web page.
Characteristics of Effective Learning
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The ways in which the child engages with other people and their environment - playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically - underpin learning and development across all areas and support the child to remain an effective and motivated learner.
Playing and exploring
(engagement)
- Finding out and exploring
- Playing with what they know
- Being willing to 'have a go'
Active learning (motivation)
- Being involved and concentrating
- Keeping trying
- Enjoying achieving what they set out to do
Creating and thinking critically (thinking)
- Having their own ideas
- Making links
- Choosing ways to do things
Areas of Learning and Development
- The prime areas begin to develop quickly in response to relationships and experiences, and run through and support learning in all other areas. The prime areas continue to be fundamental throughout the EYFS.
- The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. The grow out of the prime areas, and provide important contexts for learning.
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Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Self-confidence & Self-awareness
- Managing Feelings and Behaviour
- Making Relationships
The EYFS States that: Personal, social and emotional development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.
Communication & Language
- Listening and Attention
- Understanding
- Speaking
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The EYFS States that: Communication and language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
Physical
Developement
- Moving and Handling
- Health & Self-Care
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The EYFS States that: Physical development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive and to develop their co-ordination, control and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
Literacy
- Reading
- Writing
The EYFS States that: Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children will be given access to a wide range of reading materials i.e. books, poems and other written materials to ignite their interest.
Mathematics
- Numbers
- Shape, Space & Measure
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The EYFS States that: Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understand and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, spaces and measures.
Understanding the World
- People & Communities
- The World
- Technology
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The EYFS States that: Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
Expressive Arts & Design
- Exploring & Using Media & Materials
- Being Imaginative
The EYFS States that: Expressive arts and design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing thoughts, ideas and feelings through a wide variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design and technology.
British Values
British values are a set of four values introduced to help keep children safe and promote their welfare - Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and Tolerance. The promotion of British values is firmly embedded in the work that we do. Learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare are all integral to the EYFS.
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More information can be found at: