Learning & The EYFS

What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?


The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is how the Government and Early Years professionals describe the time in your child’s life between birth and the age of 5. It is a very important stage as it prepares them for their future learning and successes. Early Years Providers such as ECCC that are registered to deliver the EYFS must follow a legal document called the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The document sets out:


• The legal requirements that we must follow to keep your child safe and promote their welfare.
• Assessment that will tell you about your child’s progress throughout the EYFS.
• Expected levels that your child should reach by the end of the Reception year at school, these expectations are called the ‘Early Learning Goals (ELGs)’    
• The 7 areas of learning and development that we use to plan your child’s
experiences at ECCC alongside their unique needs and interests. This is a little bit like a curriculum in primary and secondary schools but is suitable for very young children and designed to be really flexible.

The seven areas of learning and development identified by the EYFS framework are divided into three prime areas:

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development

  • Communication and Language

  • Physical Development

and four specific areas:

  • Literacy

  • Mathematics

  • Understanding the World

  • Expressive Arts and Design

All learning and development is structured around the ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’. This means that children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active and through creative and critical thinking, which takes place both indoors and out.

Play underpins the EYFS. It also underpins learning and all aspects of children’s development. Through play, children develop language skills, their emotions and creativity, social and intellectual skills.

What is a Learning Diary?

A learning diary is a book containing observations, photographs and progress updates about your child. It is a working document and is updated approximately every 6 weeks by your child’s key person.
 
Where can I find my child’s learning diary?
Each room has a clearly labelled area where your child’s learning diary is stored. When your child moves to the next room in the Centre, so will their learning diary. Please feel free to access your child’s learning diary as often as you wish and take time to look through what your child experiences during their time here. We encourage you to take them home to read through the updates and add your own content.

Why do we have them?
The EYFS framework expects early years providers to observe and assess children’s progress regularly and to be able to share this information with you. We record this information in the children’s learning diaries.

What happens to my child’s learning diary when they leave ECCC?
Your child’s learning diary will be given to you for safe keeping until they are old enough to be embarrassed by the photos of when they were small!

 

If you have any questions about the EYFS please speak to a member of staff.