Early Years Foundation Stage

WELCOME TO THE EYFS CLASS PAGE!

This year we have 39 children in our EYFS unit. We have two teachers; Miss Healey and Mrs Taylor who is the Early Years Leader. Mrs Stocks, Miss Edwards, Mrs Field and Mrs Bevan are our wonderful Teaching Assistants.

Excellence is at the Heart of everything we do

‘Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.’ (EYFS Statutory Framework 2012)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is based on four principles:

• A Unique Child
• Positive Relationships
• Enabling Environments
• Learning and Developing

Areas of Learning

The EYFS is made up of seven areas of learning and development of which three are “prime areas,” and four “specific areas.”  The prime areas are

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development.

The specific areas are

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the world and
• Expressive arts and design

“Each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.  Play is used as an essential part of children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults. There is an on-going judgement to be made by practitioners about the balance between activities led by children, and activities led or guided by adults. Practitioners must respond to each child’s emerging needs and interests, guiding their development through warm, positive interaction. As children grow older, and as their development allows, it is expected that the balance will gradually shift towards more activities led by adults, to help children prepare for more formal learning, ready for Year 1.”  (Statutory Framework for EYFS 2012)

Class Organisation

The children are split into three groups this year and are taught in small groups for phonics, guided reading, writing and mathematics throughout the day. The rest of the time the children have access to continuous provision both indoors and out. Throughout this time the children also complete challenges that link to certain areas of the curriculum, including a home challenge. The children are encouraged and supported by staff to complete all the challenges during the week. If they complete all their challenges then they take part in the class treat on a Friday afternoon.                      

The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning. When children feel emotionally safe and secure they are able to explore and find out about the place they are in and the things they can see, touch, manoeuvre or manipulate. In the EYFS the environment is described in terms of three aspects: The emotional environment, the outdoor environment, the indoor environment. These three aspects of the environment together make up the environment for learning in the EYFS.

At Thorn Primary School our vision is that all children are taught in a stimulating learning environment with high quality resources. Our Reception classroom is organised into separate areas. Each of the areas are carefully planned and resourced in order to provide the children with many different learning opportunities in their play.

The children have all settled extremely well and have all been busy exploring their new learning environments. Please see photographs below.