EYFS
Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and a high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s “School Readiness” and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school life.
There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in the early years setting these consist of three Prime areas:
· Communication and language
· Physical development
· Personal social and emotional development
The four Specific Areas that strengthen the prime areas are:
· Literacy
· Mathematics
· Understanding the world
· Expressive arts and design
Educational programmes must involve activities must involve activities and experiences for children as follows:
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 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.
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 feeling, understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.
Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
Mathematics development involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, spaces and measures.
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 environment.
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 their thoughts, ideas and feeling s through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design & technology.
Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult led and child initiated activity. Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.
Care providers must consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child in their care and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child. If a child’s progress in any of the prime areas gives cause for concern, practitioners must discuss it with the child’s parents and agree how to support the child. Practitioners must consider whether a child may have a special educational need or disability which require specialist support and should link with and help families access relevant services
Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and a high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s “School Readiness” and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school life.
There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in the early years setting these consist of three Prime areas:
· Communication and language
· Physical development
· Personal social and emotional development
The four Specific Areas that strengthen the prime areas are:
· Literacy
· Mathematics
· Understanding the world
· Expressive arts and design
Educational programmes must involve activities must involve activities and experiences for children as follows:
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 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.
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 feeling, understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.
Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
Mathematics development involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, spaces and measures.
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 environment.
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 their thoughts, ideas and feeling s through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design & technology.
Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult led and child initiated activity. Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.
Care providers must consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child in their care and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child. If a child’s progress in any of the prime areas gives cause for concern, practitioners must discuss it with the child’s parents and agree how to support the child. Practitioners must consider whether a child may have a special educational need or disability which require specialist support and should link with and help families access relevant services