Early Years Foundation Stage

The EYFS framework sets the standards to make sure that children aged from Birth to 5 learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. The framework is for all Ofsted registered early years providers in all settings.

At Precious Kids we think it is important that children are encouraged to be independent in their own learning.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is divided into 7 areas of learning and will include activities led by adults as well as independent and play-based activities carried out by the children themselves.

(in here will be links to the development matters on GOV.UK) website

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) looks to improving life chances for all children, by giving them the opportunity to have the best possible start in life, with support so that they can full-fill their potential. The EYFS is designed to deliver improved outcomes for all children, across every area of learning and development.
The overarching aim of the EYFS is to help young children from birth to achieve the 5 Every Child Matters Outcomes of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being by:

• Setting the standards for learning, development and care, ensuring that no child gets left behind.

• Providing for equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice and ensuring that every child is included.

• Creating the framework for partnership working between parents, professionals and all settings that a child attends.

• Improving quality and consistency through a universal set of standards.

• Laying a secure foundation for future learning through learning and development that is planned around the individual needs and interests of the child, and informed by the use of ongoing observational assessment.

The EYFS is based around four Themes.  Each Theme 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.

Each Principle is supported by four Commitments.  The Commitments describe how the Principles can be put into practice.
As part of the EYFS, child development is categorised into three prime areas and four specific areas (birth to 11 months, 8 to 20 months, 16 to 26 months, 22 to 36 months, 30 to 50 months and 40 to 60+ months).

At Precious Kids, we provide a flexible system that fosters and supports children’s development from birth, where they can interact with practitioners that are appropriately trained and experienced; in environments that are safe, caring and loving.  The approach of our nursery practitioners is age appropriate, ensuring that there are different activities for children of different ages and at different stages of their development.  Practitioners carefully observe the children in their care; consider their needs, their interests and their stages of development to help them plan challenging and enjoyable experiences across the 7 areas of learning.

These are:

Prime Areas

• Personal, Social & Emotional Development
• Communication, Language
• Physical Development

Specific Areas

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Art and Design

We ensure that all 7 areas are delivered through ‘in the moment planning’ and purposeful play, with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities.
Through the EYFS, parents can feel secure knowing that we will encourage children to progress at a pace that’s right for them as individuals, taking account of any particular needs they may have, with the ultimate aim being that all children will achieve their full potential with most children achieving the early learning goals by the end of the academic year in which they reach the age of 5.  Development files of children’s progress are kept throughout their time at Precious Kids.

For young children, care and learning are indistinguishable.  Care cannot be considered to be of good quality unless it provides opportunities for children to learn and develop. Learning cannot be considered to be of good quality unless it is provided within an environment where all children feel safe, secure and included.  Our ultimate aim is quality throughout all areas of our practice and provision.
Following observation and assessment, we will provide a framework that delivers learning and development experiences, tailored according to each child’s age and stage of development. Well-planned play and high quality continuous provision will continue to be central to children’s development and learning, ensuring that learning is both challenging and fun.

Two Year Old Check

Practitioners will provide parents with assessment for their 2 year old with the health visitor. This will support the key person’s knowledge on the individuals overall development and specifically in the 3 prime areas.

Planning

The EYFS at Springfield provides a happy, safe, caring, stimulating and well-organised environment in which children learn by building upon what they already know and can do.

Staff at Springfield look carefully at the children in their care, consider their needs, their interests and their stages of development and use all of this information to help plan a challenging and enjoyable experience across all areas of Learning and Development. In order to do this, staff working with the youngest children are expected to focus strongly on the 3 prime areas.

In planning and guiding children’s activities, staff reflect on the different ways that children learn and include these in their practice. Where a child may have a special educational need or disability, staff consider whether specialist support is required, linking with relevant services from other agencies, where appropriate. Parents/carers will be able to access their child’s ‘Learning Journal’ any time.

Teaching

Each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play, and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Staff respond to each child’s emerging needs and interests, guiding their development through warm, positive interaction. Our outdoor provision mirrors the opportunities available to the children in inside offering a mix of adult-led and child-initiated learning.

Working with parents

Key to ensuring high quality early years experience is to ensure continuity between all settings and to ensure that the children’s social, emotional and educational needs are addressed appropriately. At Precious Kids, transition is seen as a process, not as an event and is planned for and discussed with parents, children and practitioners.

At Precious Kids we also recognise that parents are the children’s first and most enduring educators and that when parents and practitioners work together the results have a positive impact on children’s development and learning.

We encourage parent partnership through:
• Showing respect and understanding for the role of the parent in the child’s education
• Listening to accounts of their child’s development and any concerns they may have
• Making parents feel welcome by being friendly, approachable and having an open door policy
• Maintaining an on-going dialogue
• Being flexible in arrangements for settling-in children into the setting
• Meeting with parents of regularly to discuss their child’s progress
• Inviting parents in to share their child’s Learning Journal and see a range of work
• Encouraging parents to make use of the home/school communication book bags that parents/carers get every day which is looked at daily by an staff member
• Inviting parents in the nursery to share their specialised skills
• Inviting parents to accompany staff on trips.
We recognise that children learn and develop well when there is a strong partnership between staff and parents/carers.
Parents/carers are kept up to date with their child’s progress and development. The progress check and EYFS profile helps to provide parents/carers with a well-rounded picture of their child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities.
Each child in the nursery is assigned a key person who helps to ensure that their learning and care is tailored to meet their needs. The key person supports parents/carers in guiding their child’s development at home. The key person also helps families to engage with more specialist support, if appropriate.