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Early Years Foundation Stage…
What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?
Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which is how the Government and early years professionals
describe the time in your child’s life between birth and age 5. This is a very important stage as it helps your child
get ready for school as well as preparing them for their future learning and successes. From when your child is born
up until the age of 5, their early years experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support
their development, care and learning needs. Nurseries, pre-schools, reception classes and childminders registered
to deliver the EYFS must follow a legal document called the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.
The EYFS provides a curriculum for us to support your child’s learning, however all settings deliver this in a
different way.
EYFS How my child will be learning…
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.
Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. These are:
•
Communication and language;
•
Physical development; and
•
Personal, social and emotional development.
These prime areas are those most essential for your child’s healthy development and future learning.
At Cygnets these are a true focus in our curriculum intent.
As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. These are:
•
Literacy;
•
Mathematics;
•
Understanding the world; and
•
Expressive arts and design.
Talk about the numbers, colours, words and letters
you
see when you are out and about
Allow your child to cut out and stick
pictures
from magazines
Plant seeds or bulbs in a pot or garden
patch
Cook / bake together
Explore the park at a different time of
the
year – go off the beaten track
Talk to your child at every
opportunity –
e.g. what you are doing that day
Share a book
“Staff carefully plan exceptional activities to excite children and
challenge their
learning. Children engage intently in 'story acting' alongside friends.
They take
turns and use their amazing imaginations to act out their stories about
'fairies'
and 'dragons' that they have previously shared with staff. Children
revisit their
previous learning and use their creative thinking skills. Highly trained
staff
provide a narrative alongside their acting. As a result, children are
confident and
creative thinkers.”
OFSTED 2022
