Your Child's Development
Every child matters!
Your child's development and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The framework focuses on children’s individuality, the need for strong attachments, working in partnership with parents and a great environment that is suitable for the need and stage of development that each child moves through whilst at playgroup. At Hollingbury Park Playgroup we can provide all of these things which will enrich your child's experiences.
Your child will have a key worker who will forge a strong relationship with your child and yourself. Your child’s key worker will ensure learning and play is personal to your child making their day fun, exciting and meaningful.
The EYFS brings together: The Birth to Three Matters framework, Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, and the National Standards for Under 8s Daycare and Childminding.
An EYFS pack is available from the Department’s publications house on request (telephone DfES Publications orderline: 0845 60 222 60 and quote 00012-2007PCK-EN), and for free download from the government website (at http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2 ), along with the CD-Rom of all the resource materials which is also available on-line.
BACKGROUND
The Early Years Foundation Stage – is a central part of the ten year childcare strategy:
- Ensuring a consistent approach to care and learning from birth to the end of the Foundation Stage.
- Incorporating elements of the National Standards.
- Has a play-based approach
- Focuses on stages of development rather than chronological, age based teaching and learning
AIMS
The overarching aim of the EYFS is to help children achieve the Every Child Matters five outcomes:
Staying safe
Being healthy
Enjoying and achieving
Making a positive contribution
Achieving economic wellbeing
OUTCOMES
The EYFS aims to help children achieve the 5 outcomes by:
1. Setting standards
2. Promoting Equality of opportunity
3. Creating a framework for partnership working
4. Improving quality and consistency
5. Laying a secure foundation for future learning and development
PRINCIPLES
The EYFS principles are grouped into 4 themes
A unique child
Principle – Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured
Positive Relationships
Principle – Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person
Enabling Environments
Principle – The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning
Learning and Development
Principle – Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected.
WELFARE REQUIREMENTS
There are 5 Welfare Requirements
Safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare
Suitable person
Suitable premises, environment and equipment
Organisation
Documentation
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
For each Welfare requirement there are:
General requirements
Specific requirements
Statutory Guidance to which providers should have regard (Further information is provided in the Practice guidance)
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
There are 2 stages of development in all 7 areas of learning that we focus on.
Birth to three- babies toddlers and young children
3 & 4-year-olds
The updated Development matters has relaxed its age bands from 7 to 2. There are 3 main areas for development which are,
Communication and language
Physical development
personal, social and emotional development.
There are 4 additional areas which we cover:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design.
We give opportunities for all of the children in our care to develop in all 7 area's.
We value all children as unique individuals, some children will be working towards their age bands whilst others will be working beyond them. These children will be extended further by moving into the 'Children in reception' age band. Every child will be supported to there individual needs.