The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
At Edith Cadbury Nursery School our main aim is to provide a secure, safe, happy environment where all children can build meaningful relationships and learning is an enjoyable experience. A place where all children experience encouragement, appreciation and success and to create an atmosphere in which learning is an enjoyable experience.
The new statutory framework can be found on the link below:
EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf
DfE_Development_Matters_Report_Sep2023.pdf
This is a statutory curriculum for children age 0 to 5 years, which was fully revised in September 2021. It emphasises that from when a child is born, until the age of 5, their early years’ experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and should support their development care and learning needs. All nurseries, pre-schools, reception classes and childminders must follow a legal document called the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
The revised EYFS puts a much greater emphasis than previously, on parents’ role in helping children to develop. We want to work in partnership with you and offer various workshops throughout the year to support this.
The EYFS sets out:
- The legal welfare requirements that everyone registered to look after children must follow to keep your child safe and promote their welfare
- The 7 areas of learning and development which guide professionals’ engagement with your child’s play and activities as they learn new skills and knowledge
- Assessments that will tell you about your child’s progress through the EYFS
- Expected levels that your child should reach at the age of 5, usually the end of the reception year; these expectations are called the “Early Learning Goals (ELGs)”
There is also guidance for the professionals supporting your child on planning the learning activities, and observing and assessing what and how your child is learning and developing.
The EYFS Framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their healthy development. Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development.
The EYFS Principles:
There are four principles which underpin the EYFS:
- 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.
Please see the links below for more information:
https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2011/10/EYFS_Principles1.
https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2017/03/EYFS_STATUTORY_FRAMEWORK_2017.
Our curriculum is designed to support every child to develop confidence, independence and motivation. We provide opportunities for exploration, discovery, involved play and most importantly talking, listening and sharing ideas.
We use the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, which is organised into seven areas of learning and development and is delivered using the ‘Development Matters’ Statements and ‘Early Learning Goals’. The seven areas are:
Prime Areas of Learning:
(These underpin everything that takes place in Early Years teaching and learning)
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Specific Areas of Learning:
- Literacy
- Understanding the World
- Mathematics
- Expressive Arts and Design