Early Years Education
The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards for promoting the learning, development and safety of children from birth to five years in Ofsted registered settings. The EYFS lays down the legal requirements that early years providers must meet, including:
- learning and development requirements: specific areas of learning and development which shape the activities and experiences
- assessment requirements: how we measure children’s progress and feedback to parents or carers
- safeguarding and welfare requirements: what we must do to keep children safe and promote their welfare
The learning and development requirements cover three prime areas, which are considered particularly important for stimulating children’s interest in learning, and in building relationships:
- Communication and Language: giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment, develop their confidence and skill in expressing themselves, and speak and listen in a range of situations.
- Physical Development: providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive, develop their coordination, control, and movement, understand the importance of physical activity, and make healthy choices about food.
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development: helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others. To form positive relationships and respect others, develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings, understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.
The three prime areas are strengthened by four specific areas of learning: literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world, and expressive arts and design. These areas are connected, with learning in one particular area supporting learning in the others. At Devon Nurseries we interweave these areas to develop children’s knowledge and understanding, while maintaining a strong focus on the important prime areas. For instance, as children play number games they are also learning to take turns with their friends.
Our Devon Nurseries educational programmes involve activities and experiences for children for all areas of learning.
To plan for successful learning, early years educators observe children to identify their interests, explore how they learn, and monitor their progress in each area of learning and development.
Reflecting on these observations means we can shape learning experiences for individual children. As part of the assessment process, parents and carers are encouraged to share their own observations of their child’s progress on Famly.
Assessment is an ongoing process, but there are times when it is a statutory requirement to provide a summary of how children are developing in relation to expected levels of progress for their age.
Under the EYFS, it is a requirement to review children’s progress between the ages of 2 and 3. This integrated review involves early years practitioners, health visitors and parents sharing their knowledge and understanding of the child to provide an overall picture of the child’s development and take joint decisions on any specific support necessary.
At Devon Nurseries we take all reasonable steps to keep children safe and well. The EYFS requires early years providers to show consideration of the following 10 areas of safeguarding and welfare.
- Child protection: being alert to any issues for concern in a child’s life and following appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures
- Suitable people: checking the suitability of practitioners and other people who have regular contact with children
- Staff qualifications, training, support and skills: ensuring staff are sufficiently qualified and have the knowledge and understanding necessary for their role
- Key person: assigning a named member of staff to build relationships with the child and parents in order to meet the child’s individual needs
- Staff-child ratios: ensuring children are adequately supervised at all times
- Health: promoting the health of children and implementing procedures regarding illness, infection, food and drink, and accidents
- Managing behaviour: using appropriate strategies to understand and manage unwanted behaviour
- Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment: ensuring that indoor and outdoor space is fit for purpose and suitable for the age of the children and the activities offered
- Special educational needs: putting the necessary arrangements in place to support children with SEN or disabilities in accordance with the SEND Code of Practice
- Information and records: maintaining records and sharing information with parents and professionals as appropriate to meet children’s needs
You can find out more about the Early Years Foundation Stage here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2
