Our curriculum and EYFS

The EYFS seeks to provide: (EYFS 2021)

• quality and consistency – in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind
• a secure foundation – through planning for the learning and development of each individual child, and assessing and reviewing what they have learned regularly
• partnership working – between practitioners and with parents and/or carers
• equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice – ensuring that every child is included and supported

The overarching principles are: (EYFS 2021)

• every child is a unique child, 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 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.
• importance of learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

There are three elements to the EYFS

The Safeguarding and welfare requirements – These cover all the things that keep your children in a safe and secure environment such as child protection, health and safety, safe staff, visitors, adult to child ratio’s and much more. Have a look at our document called ‘How we meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements’.

Assessment – There are three mandatory summative assessments in the EYFS. One is carried out in nursery when children are two years and four months old. This is usually held with families, the child, nursery and health visitors. The child’s development as a whole is recorded. Seeing what a child has learnt, and how they have developed in just two years is amazing, and of course, if there’s any extra support needed then it’s arranged straight away.
The other two assessments are held on entry to reception class at school, and at the end of reception class when the child is ready to start year 1.

The learning and development requirements – The EYFS (2021) says:
There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.

Three areas are particularly important for building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving.

These are the prime areas:

• communication and language,
• physical development, and,
• personal, social and emotional development.

Providers must also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are:

• literacy,
• mathematics,
• understanding the world, and,
• expressive arts and design.

Alongside what children learn in the seven areas above, it is important to ensure children know HOW to learn, and that their zest for learning is ignited and nurtured. These are called the characteristics of effective learning:

playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things. (EYFS 2021)

Our members of staff know their children well. They plan what they intend to teach the children carefully, ensuring they stretch their thinking, learning and imagination just enough to achieve the next step in their development. Again, all whilst having lots of fun!