The Government requires us as a registered provider to follow the national curriculum for under fives (all children from birth to the end of Year R) which is known as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The EYFS is built around the following guiding principles:

• Unique child: every child is a competent learner from birth, resilient, capable, confident, self-assured
• Positive relationships: children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and key person
• Enabling environments: supporting and extending children’s development and learning
• Learning and development: children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates, all areas of learning are equally important and interconnected

The EYFS explains how and what your child will be learning to give them a firm foundation for a successful start to school.  Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 Areas of Development

Of these, children usually develop the 3 Prime Areas first.  These are:

1. Personal, Social & Emotional Development
2. Communication & Language
3. Physical Development
    

As children grow these Prime Areas will help them to develop skills in the 4 Specific Areas:

1. Literacy Development
2. Understanding of the World
3. Mathematical Development
4. Expressive Arts & Design

These 7 areas are used to plan your child's learning.  At Stockton House School we use a fun, play based approach to supporting learning and development in Early Years.  Learning is guided by exceptional staff who skilfully support children's learning and development through effective teaching.  Each child's learning and development is recorded and celebrated through their own unique learning journal.

If you would like to learn more about the revised EYFS please visit the Government website here:

Families in the Foundation Years

Practice Guidance for the EYFS

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eyfs-profile-exemplication-materials