What makes an EYFS student at All Saints?
At All Saints, we strive to have an ambitious EYFS curriculum that will give children the skills to create a strong foundation for learning. When our All Saints children finish Reception we want them to be:
Confident to speak, ask questions and try new things
Thoughtful about other people and respectful of differences
Knowledgeable about the world they live in and how to care for it
Prepared for learning with the necessary skills to help them access the National Curriculum
About EYFS
The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the standards for learning and care of children aged 0-5. Children are taught through a blend of adult-led inputs and activities as well as free exploration and play through indoor and outdoor continuous provision.
The EYFS is divided into seven areas of learning. These are:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
The EYFS statutory framework has been set by the Government and provides the standards by which all Early Years settings much abide to ensure that children learn and develop well, are healthy and safe, and have the knowledge and skills that they need to start school.
Link: Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
To support practitioners in implementing the statutory requirements of the EYFS, our practitioners and teachers use the document Development Matters. The use of this document gives our staff the guidance needed to ensure that they are providing the appropriate provision for our children to succeed, develop and grow.
Characteristics of Effective Learning
The early years of a child’s development are crucial to their success throughout school and later life. Characteristics of effective learning (CoEL) is a term that offers a critical structure for practitioners to support children and helps them to make sense of how the children in their provision are learning.
A characteristic of effective teaching and learning is an understanding of how children learn and grow. It is incredibly important for practitioners to think about how learning in the early years is taking place.
We often refer to the characteristics of effective learning when making observations about children. We observe our children regularly to understand their stage of development and current learning progressions and consider next steps. As practitioners we are always reflecting and the CoEL help us to notice what a child is doing and what characteristics support a child’s learning.
There are three characteristics of effective learning in the development matters document;
- playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things and ‘have a go.’
- active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements
- creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
Why are the Foundation Years so valuable?
The EYFS is a time when children can engage with the world around them and begin to make sense of their new learning and put skills into practice in a fun and non-threatening environment. The provision that has been carefully and thoughtfully planned by the practitioners is designed with a blend of adult led inputs and activities alongside child initiated interactions and both indoor and outdoor continuous provision.The children have the opportunity to encounter new and varied vocabulary, be exposed to new ideas and opportunities and develop interpersonal skills on a day to day basis. They also place a great importance on practicing basic skills that they will need to access the National Curriculum such as scissor skills, writing/fine motor skills, and pre-phonics. Practitioners have an in-depth knowledge of these skills and follow the child’s developmental progression in order to support and nurture their skills and improve their accuracy.
Please visit our Curriculum page for more information about what makes our All Saints EYFS curriculum shine!