Curriculum

Early Years Foundation Stage

For children from birth to 5 years of age, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum to support children’s learning and development and health and safety. This curriculum is designed to prepare children for school and to ensure that they develop a wide range of knowledge and skills that will support their life-long learning ambitions.

The EYFS requires us to provide educational programmes in seven areas of learning which are divided into ‘prime’ and ‘specific’ areas. The youngest children in our settings must develop a strong foundation in the prime areas of learning which are: communication and language, physical development and personal social and emotional development. ‘The ‘specific’ areas of learning provide children with a broader curriculum and with opportunities to strengthen and apply the prime areas of learning’. (Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, DfE, July 2020) They are: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design. Please see below for more information:

Personal, Social & Emotional Development (PSED)

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 feelings; and to have confidence in their own abilities.

Communication & Language (C&L)

The development of children’s spoken language is of key importance for their learning and development in all areas. Children’s language and cognitive development is supported through their early interactions with caregivers and then through the conversations with adults and peers as their communication skills develop. Children need to be immersed in a language-rich environment where adults respond to what children say and do and provide them with a myriad of opportunities to read and share the spoken word together through a range of stories, non-fiction books, rhymes and poems. Children will be supported to learn new words as they are provided with opportunities for conversations, story-telling and role play and as they are encouraged to share their ideas and hear and answer questions they will develop extensive vocabularies and their communication and language skills.

Physical Development (PD)

Physical Development involves providing opportunities for young children to be happy, healthy and active; and to develop their core strength, stability, balance, co-ordination, spatial awareness and agility. Children’s gross and fine motor skills develop incrementally as they grow and are linked to their understanding of healthy bodies and their emotional well-being and also to the development of early literacy skills.

Literacy

It is extremely important that children develop a life-long love of reading. Reading is comprised of two things – language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension is necessary for both reading and writing and begins from birth as adults talk to children about the world around them and share stories, non-fiction books, rhymes, poems and songs with children. Word reading is taught later when children are ready and helps them to learn how to break down words into their component sounds and to recognise some written words immediately by sight. Writing supports children’s spelling and handwriting (transcription) and their ability to structure their thoughts and ideas before writing them down (composition).

Mathematics (MATHS)

Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, including calculating simple addition and subtraction problems. A strong understanding of number will help children build the necessary skills to do well mathematically. Children must have opportunities to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of maths including shape, space and measure. It is important that they are interested in mathematics and develop a positive attitude towards it by trying things out, spotting links and patterns, talking about the things they notice and are not afraid to make mistakes.

Understanding The World (UW)

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 the environment. Children will visit different places, such as theatres, parks, libraries, and meet people from their community in person or using technology, such as the police, firefighters as well as people from different cultural backgrounds. Children’s rich and diverse personal experiences will support their knowledge and understanding of the world at large. As children experience more and hear and learn related vocabulary, this in turn will support their developing reading skills.

Expressive Arts And Design (EAD)

‘The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity’ (Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, DfE, July 2020). It is important that children have opportunities to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. They must also have opportunities and be encouraged to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of creative activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.