Early Years Foundation Stage

 

What is the EYFS?

• The EYFS is a statutory framework to support children’s learning and development from birth until the end of the Reception year in school

  The EYFS framework describes how Early Years practitioners should work with children and their families to enable children to reach their full potential and meet the appropriate age related development millstones

• The EYFS framework also describes how children should be kept safe and cared for

 

Learning and Development

There are seven areas of learning and development set out in the EYFS framework. We value all seven areas of learning and development and understand that they are connected to one another and are all equally important.

 

Three ‘Prime Areas’ are crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These are:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Communication and Language

• Physical Development

 

Children’s learning and development is also guided through four ‘Specific Areas’ in which the three Prime Areas are strengthened and applied. These are:

• Literacy
• Mathematics 
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

 

Practitioners provide children with a range of play and learning experiences in all these areas appropriate for their stage of development to help them to learn and develop new skills working towards the Early Learning Goals at the end of their time in Reception.

 

Characteristics of Effective Learning

The characteristics of effective learning play a central role in a child’s learning and in becoming an effective learner. The characteristics run through and underpin all seven areas of learning and development. The characteristics also link with our Star Values.

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.

 

At the end of the year your child’s report will have comments about how your child demonstrates the three Characteristics of Effective Learning. You will also see this within your child’s Tapestry observations. We encourage parents and carers to be fully involved, to share their learning and interests at home and help to plan their child's next steps in through the Tapestry online leaning diary.

 

You can find out more about this statutory document at https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage

The Nursery Curriculum at St Anne's Infants'

 

At St Anne’s Infants’ School Nursery, our main focus is the Prime Areas of the EYFS curriculum. However, these are taught through experiences within the Specific Areas of the curriculum. We believe that strong foundations in the Prime Areas prepare children for the next stage in their learning and support them in being effective learners as they grow.

 

You can see our key objectives in the Prime Areas, Literacy and Number throughout the year in the table below. Our expectation is for children to be secure in the 30 - 50 months age band of the EYFS curriculum by the end of Nursery.