Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage is a statutory framework for children from birth to the age of five. The overall aim of the Early Years Foundation Stage is to help each child achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes -

• Be healthy;
• Stay safe;
• Enjoy and achieve;
• Make a positive contribution;
• Achieve economic well being 

The Early Years Foundation Stage has four themes: A Unique Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environments and Learning and Development. Each theme has an underlying principle.

The principles underpin everything in the EYFS:

A unique child- Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self assured;

Positive Relationships- Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person;

Enabling Environments- The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development and learning;

Learning and Development- Children develop and learn in different ways at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and interconnected.

"Play underpins the delivery of all of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children must have opportunities to play indoors and outdoors. Providing well planned experiences based on children's spontaneous play both indoors and outdoors, is an important way in which practitioners support young children to learn with enjoyment and challenge."

(The Early Years Foundation Stage Practice Guidance) 

The nursery curriculum is planned under six areas of learning.

The stages children will progress through are called ‘development matters' and they identify the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes that the children will need if they are to achieve the ‘Early Learning Goals' by the end of the EYFS.

'Children share well, co-operate, and show a high respect for others.' ISI Inspection 2010