EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE

EYFS Information

We all work towards the Early Years Curriculum. If you would like more information about our curriculum and workshops please click on the links below. 

Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

 Early Years Curriculum

The Early Years consists of:

Playgroup

Nursery

Reception

Our EYFS department works together to provide enriching play based learning opportunities from Playgroup through to our Reception classes.

The Early Years is a wonderful stage of learning and development. Children wonder, delight, problem solve, ask questions, and discover new things about themselves and the world around them. Through a balance of child- initiated and adult led activities, the seven different developmental areas are catered for, complying with the EYFS requirements. These areas are; The three prime areas of learning: Physical development, Personal Social and Emotional Development, and Communication and Language and the 4 specific areas of learning: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding of the World and Expressive Art and Design.

Our planning must ensure that we are catering for development in all these areas across the Early Years Foundation Stage, from playgroup through to reception. Through all our planning, the ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ are taking place and being observed in the children’s play experiences. These three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are: playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically.

At the end of the Foundation Stage, the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile is completed. Each child is assessed against 17 Early Learning Goals with practitioners assessing whether the child is meeting, exceeding or not yet reaching (emerging) the expected level of development set out in each statement. These assessments are made by looking at all the evidence gathered, both adult led and child initiated activities, along with teacher knowledge of the child, any other records shared and discussions with parents and other adults involved.

From the Nursery, children are introduced to the Phonics scheme that we use at Norwood Green, letters and sounds with cued articulation. All the children in the Early Years classes have access to the resources across the school, including the new dedicated Reception field area where children can develop their gross motor skills. Reception children also have PE and music classes on a weekly basis.