Early Years

Early Years Foundation Stage

Crèche, Preschool and Reception classes for children aged 12 months - 5 years

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides a secure, caring environment for children to begin their education. A play oriented learning environment encourages individual development through teacher- led and child initiated activities. We encourage a hands on experience providing the children with a first hand opportunity to explore and investigate.

Experienced teachers and teaching assistants work together in small class environments to ensure that the individual needs of the children are recognised.

We follow the EYFS Framework that is followed in England and Wales. The EYFS is based around four themes, each is linked to an important principle:

A Unique Child

• Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive Relationships

• Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.

Enabling Environments

• The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development and learning.

Learning and Development

• Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.

There are 6 areas of learning and development. All areas are connected to one another and are equally important.

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
  Building confidence, concentration, independence and respect

• Communication, Language and Literacy (CLL)
  Developing speaking and listening skills, beginning to read and write

• Problem, Solving Reasoning and Numeracy (PSRN)
  Number work, mathematical ideas and thinking

• Knowledge and Understanding of the world(KUW)
  Investigating and thinking about your place in the world

• Physical Development (PD)
  Developing physical skills and understanding

• Creative Development (CD)
  Building the children's imagination

The experiences in EYFS involved learning both inside and outside the classroom. Many activities are planned for interaction between crèche, preschool and Reception.

Assessment

Throughout EYFS the teachers constantly observe the children and record the observations in their individual development profiles - parents receive these profiles at the end of EYFS. At the end of reception the EYFS profile is completed identifying the Early Years goals achieved. This provides Year 1 teachers and parents with reliable and accurate information about each child's level of development.

In addition the parents receive an end of year report for their child

Parent / Teacher Meetings

Twice a year we invite parents to meeting their child's teacher to discuss their development