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 which both children and staff use to talk about the children's learning.

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

Enquiries in Reception

Each term the learning in Reception centres around an enquiry question. These enquiries combine with the children’s interests to provide motivating and meaningful experiences.

The enquiries are:

• Who am I?
• How do we celebrate?
• What can I build?
• How have I changed?
• What grows?
• What makes a good story?

All seven areas of the EYFS curriculum are woven through these enquiries and children learn through a balance of adult-directed and child-initiated activities. Children continue to have access to indoor and outdoor learning opportunities but there is an increased focus on the specific areas of learning to build on the solid foundations that have been laid in children's nursery provision. Reception is an exciting year in which children make rapid progress with their reading, writing and mathematical skills. Phonics is taught discretely after the children's initial settling in period to support their development in literacy. At the end of the Reception year, all children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals of the EYFS curriculum.

To find out more about our Reception curriculum throughout the year, click on the documents below: