Early Years Education

Purpose of the Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a play-based curriculum for children from birth to five years, which allows children to explore and learn in an environment that is secure and safe, yet challenging.

Within the EYFS Framework their are seven areas of learning: 3 Prime Areas and 4 Specific Areas. When planning and guiding activities practitioners will reflect upon these areas as well as the Characteristics of Effective Learning which are the different ways that children learn. You will notice links to the EYFS and Characteristics of Effective Learning on your child's tapestry profile.

Prime Areas

Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Specific Areas

Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design

Research into early child development shows that children learn more rapidly during their first three years than in later life; whilst all areas of learning are important and inter-connected, the three Prime areas that are crucial for igniting children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, building their capacity to learn and form relationships and thrive. The specific areas will enable them to be self-motivated learners who are confident to succeed.

Communication and Language

Involves children being provided with the opportunity to experience a language rich environment; develop confidence in expressing their wants, needs and feelings and being able to speak and listen in a variety of contexts.

Physical Development

Involves children being encouraged to be interactive and active in their learning and develop control, coordination and movement. They are supported in understanding the importance of physical activity and how to make informed healthy choices at meal times.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Involves supporting children to develop confidence and respect for themselves and others. It supports the children in managing their own feelings and understanding appropriate behaviour, which enables them to form strong attachments and relationships.

Literacy

Encourages children to link sounds and letters and begin to read and write. Children are given access to a wide range of reading materials to ignite their interest.

Mathematics

Encourages opportunities to develop and improve counting skills, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, space and measures.

Understanding the World

Involves supporting children in making sense of the world around them and their community by providing opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive Arts and Design

Enables children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as encouraging the sharing of thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design and technology.

The Characteristics of Effective Learning

Playing and Exploring

Supports children's engagement and investigation and to experience things through being willing to 'have a go'

Active Learning

Supports children's motivation to learn by helping develop their concentration, ability and will to keep trying when challenges occur and celebration of completing a task.

Creating and Thinking Critically

Supports children's thinking skills through developing ideas, making links between differing ideas and create strategies for completing a task.

The EYFS emphasises that parents are a child's primary educator and therefore encourages parents to contribute to their child's learning this is why Tapestry is such a vital tool to ensure together we get an overall picture of each child's development.

Key Person

Each child who attends Littleleaps has a Key Person.

This is an Early Years Practitioner within the child's room who's role is to ensure every child's learning and care is tailored to their individual needs. They will support the child and their parents with the settling in process, and with the child's developmental progress.

Tapestry

Tapestry is an online learning journal that practitioners use to record and monitor your child learning and development. Parents can also upload new achievements and special events onto their own child journal allowing these moments to be shared between home and setting. Tapestry can be used as a communication tool to strengthen our relationships with parents.