Welcome to
An Introduction To EYFS
September 2016
What is the Early Years
Foundation Stage (EYFS)?
What is the Early Years Foundation
Stage?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the
stage of education for children from birth to 5 years
(end of the child’s reception year) which is
supported by the EYFS document, a single quality
framework to support children’s learning and
development.
It is based on the recognition that children learn best through
play and active learning.
The EYFS brought together a number of documents
practitioners were previously working with to
ensure good practice across the age range.
This meant that in England, from
September 2008 all providers offering
care and education to children aged 0-5
outside of the family home had to be
working to the same framework and
standards, to ensure that whatever
setting parents choose, they can be confident that their child
will receive a quality experience that supports their
development and learning.
The activities that are provided for will underpin the
skills children need to work towards the Early Learning
Goals in the following areas at the end of their reception
year at school. These are the 7 areas of learning:
3 Prime areas:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication and language
- Physical development
4 Specific areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
• All areas are of equal importance and
many activities will cover many of the
areas. Each area is divided up into
stages of development and we are able
to identify resources and learning
opportunities for individual children
dependent on their developmental needs.
•
The EYFS also encourages
teachers, teaching assistants, parents
and carers to work together to help
children develop to their full potential.
Personal, Social and
Emotional Development
The children will be learning to:
•
become self-confident;
•
take an interest in things;
•
know what their own needs are;
•
dress and undress independently;
•
become independent;
•
tell the difference between right and wrong.
Communication and
Language
The children will be learning to:
• talk confidently and clearly;
• enjoy listening to stories, songs and
poems;
Physical Development
The children will be learning
to:
• move confidently;
• control their body;
• handle equipment.
Mathematics
The children will be learning to:
• develop an understanding of maths through
stories, songs, games and imaginative play;
• become comfortable with numbers and with
ideas such as 'heavier than' or 'bigger’;
• be aware of shapes and space.
Understanding the World
The children will:
• explore and find out about the world around
them, asking questions about it;
• build with different materials, know about
everyday technology and learn what it is
used for;
• find out about past events in their lives and
their families' lives;
• find out about different cultures and beliefs.
Literacy
The children will be learning to:
• hear and say sounds, and link them
to the alphabet;
• read and write familiar
words;
• learn to use a pencil effectively.
Expressive Arts and
Design
The children will explore:
• colours and shapes;
• making things;
• role play;
• making music.
Outdoors
Another main aspect of our curriculum is outdoor
learning. We do a lot of learning outdoors and this is
vital for children’s learning and development. The
EYFS documents state that children must learn and
play both indoors and outdoors on a daily basis
whatever the weather.
The Statutory Framework states that:
• “Providers must ensure there is a
balance of adult-led and freely-chosen
or child-initiated activities, delivered
through indoor and outdoor play.”
The Practice Guidance states that:
• “Play underpins the delivery of all the
EYFS…Play underpins all development
and learning for young children.”
Monitoring Progress
Each of the 7 areas of learning has its own set of Early
Learning Goals’ which determine what most children
are expected to achieve by the end of
Reception Class.
The EYFS Profile is a summative assessment of each
child’s progress towards the early learning goals. The
profile is updated regularly throughout each year of
EYFS. It shows your child’s development and areas for
further support.
How Do We Assess?
We observe the children. All adults in the classroom complete
observations of any significant learning for any children. This
means that every child has a consistent range of
observational evidence covering all 7 learning areas over
each half term. Where appropriate photographs are included.
Each child will have an electronic file where their observations and other
evidence of development will be collated. This will be developed over their
entire time in BSB EYFS, passed up to the following teacher at the end of
each year, from crèche – preschool – reception.
We highlight the statements completed from the 7
areas of learning .This information will be kept on file
and can be shared with parents at parents evenings
but will be passed on to the Year 1 teacher following
the reception year.
What do we learn from observations?
As we complete observations we are
seeing the children’s areas of interest and
can then plan possible lines of
development for the next week.
Ongoing observation of children
participating in everyday activities is the
most reliable way of building up an
accurate picture of what children know,
understand, feel, are interested in and can
do.
BSB Early Years Foundation Stage
Observation
Name
Date
Activity Observed
Context
Indoors
Outdoors
Alone
With
Friends
With
Adults
Free Choice
Group Time
Observation
PSED
Dispositions and Attitudes
Self Confidence and Self Esteem
Making Relationships
Behaviour and Self Control
Self Care
Sense of Community
Communication and Language
Listening and attention
Understanding
Speaking
Literacy
Writing
Reading
UW
Maths
Numbers
Shape, Space and Measures
PD
EAD
Responding to Experiences and Expressing and
Communicating Ideas
Exploring Media and Materials
Creating Music and Dance
Developing Imagination
Age range in months
Moving and Handling
Health and self care
22-36
months
Next Steps for the Child / Planning and Provision
30-50 months
People and Communities
The World
40-60+ months
Early Learning Goals
EYFS Profile
So what is the actual EYFS Profile?
The EYFS Profile is a way of summing up a child’s
progress at the end of the Foundation Stage.
• It is a statutory assessment method.
• It is based on the teachers ongoing assessments
and observations on all seven areas on learning.
• Each child’s typical developments will be
recorded on 17 assessment scales. For each
ELG, practitioners will assess (using best-fit
judgement) whether children are at the expected
level,exceeding it or below it (‘emerging’)
The 17 Assessment Scales
PSE – Making relationships
PSE – Self- confidence and self awareness
PSE – Managing feelings and behaviour
CL – Listening and attention
CL – Understanding
CL – Speaking
Physical Development – Moving and handling
Physical Development – Health and self care
Literacy- Reading
Literacy- Writing
Mathematics– Shape, Space and Measures
Mathematics- Numbers
Understanding the World- People and communities
Understanding the World- The world
Understanding the World-Technology
Expressive Arts and Design- Exploring and using media and materials
Expressive Arts and Design- Being imaginative
Something to consider and to
remember!
It is not advisable to compare your
child’s profile with that of others.
Every child is an individual and
develops at their own rate!
The first few weeks
At the moment the staff are taking the time
to find out more about the children, their
likes and dislikes, what they
already know and can do and what they are
interested in. The class teachers then
use this information to help them plan
based on the children’s interests.
We value any contributions
you would like to make in helping us
get to know your child’s needs.
Websites and other Info
The EYFS document can be downloaded
from www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs
It can also be ordered from
www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications