Early Years Foundation Stage
Policy
September 2014
School Values
‘Opening Worlds of Learning’
Our school:
We are healthy and happy
Love learning
Encourage each other
Try hard
So we can spread our wings and fly!
Introduction
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.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets the standards that all early
years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept
healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school
readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the
right foundation for good future progress through school and life.
The EYFS framework seeks to provide:
• quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good
progress and no child gets left behind;
• a secure foundation through learning and development opportunities which are
planned around the needs and interests of each individual child and are assessed and
reviewed regularly;
• partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers;
• equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is
included and supported.
Aims and Objectives
Four guiding principles shape practice in the Reception class. These are:
• every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable,
confident and self-assured;
• children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships;
• children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences
respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between
practitioners and parents and/or carers; and
• children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The
framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision,
including children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Organisation and Planning
In line with the EYFS framework there are seven areas of learning and development
that shape educational programmes in our early years setting. All areas of learning and
development are important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial
for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their
capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas, the prime areas,
are:
• communication and language;
• physical development; and
• personal, social and emotional development.
In addition children are supported in four specific areas, through which the three
prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are:
• literacy;
• mathematics;
• understanding the world; and
• expressive arts and design.
In planning and guiding children’s activities, practitioners consider the different ways
that children learn and reflect these in their practice. Three characteristics of
effective teaching and learning are:
• playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’;
• active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter
difficulties, and enjoy achievements; and
• creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make
links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
The Learning Environment and learning through play.
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 essential for
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. Practitioners make on-going judgments
about the balance between activities led by children and activities led or guided by
adults.
Assessment and Recording
Assessment plays an important part in helping parents, carers and practitioners to
recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and to plan activities and
support. On-going assessment (also known as formative assessment) is an integral part
of the learning and development process. It involves practitioners observing children to
understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles, and to then shape
learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations. In their interactions
with children, practitioners respond to their own day-to-day observations about
children’s progress. Practitioners share and discuss observations and assessments with
parents and carers and encourage them to do the same.
Assessment at the end of the EYFS – the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
(EYFSP)
The Profile provides parents and carers, practitioners and teachers with a well-rounded
picture of a child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities, their progress against
expected levels, and their readiness for Year 1.
The Profile reflects:
 on-going observation
 all relevant records held by the setting
 discussions with parents and carers, and any other adults whom the teacher,
parent or carer judges can offer a useful contribution.
Monitoring and review
The governor’s Performance and Standards sub-committee will monitor the way the
EYFS framework is implemented through discussions with the Headteacher.
The Headteacher has overall responsibility for the day to day organisation of the
curriculum. The Headteacher monitors teaching and learning to ensure that pupils are
taught the full requirements of the EYFS framework.
The Role of the EYFS lead teacher
The role of the EYFS lead teacher is to:
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Attend relevant training for their subject area to feedback to staff on updates,
changes and latest developments.
Support and offer advice to colleagues on issues related to the subject
Lead the monitoring of pupil progress in the EYFS
Assist in monitoring the planning for EYFS
Provide the necessary efficient resource management for EYFS
Inclusion
Teachers set high expectations for every pupil. They plan stretching work for pupils
whose attainment is significantly above the expected standard. They have an even
greater obligation to plan lessons for pupils who have low levels of prior attainment or
come from disadvantaged backgrounds. A wide range of pupils have special educational
needs, many of whom also have disabilities. Teachers plan lessons to ensure that there
are no barriers to every pupil achieving.
Induction
Every child will be offered the opportunity to visit the school for a series of
afternoons of activities in the summer term prior to their entry into full time
education, in order to meet their teacher(s) and their new classmates and to get a
taste of school life.
In September, we invite the children to attend for mornings only during their first
week to ensure a smooth and happy transition into full time education.
The role of parents
We believe that parents have an important role to play in their child’s education. We
recognise the role parents have already played and their future role. We do this
through:
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Inviting parents to an induction meeting in school with the Head Teacher on the
afternoon of their child’s first taster session.
Talking to parents very early on to find out as much as possible about their
child.
Offering parents regular opportunities to talk about their child’s progress in our
Reception Class.
Welcoming parents into the classroom in the early part of the year particularly
before school to help their children select reading books and to see their work.
Encouraging parents to take a leading role in home reading, under the guidance
of the class teacher by reading with their child regularly.
The use of a reading diary which is a useful tool for communicating as well as
keeping a record of reading progress.
Encouraging the parents to talk to us if there are any concerns
Offering a range of activities that encourage parental involvement.
Inviting parents to help in class if they have an area of expertise that would be
valuable to our topic.
Policy reviewed September 2014
Next review due September 2016