Learning & Development

What does learning look like for my child?

In the early years all learning is done through play and our skilled staff will look at the interests of the children and help to build on them to develop skills and learning whilst keeping the children highly engaged.

We work to the standards set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This is based around a broad range of knowledge and skills which the children should cover to help them have a good foundation for progress through school and life.

The themes and principles of the Early Years foundation stage 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/carers
• Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early year's provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Early Years Foundation Stage also recognises that there are three different styles of learning and throughout our planning and delivery of activities we aim to accommodate each one. These are known as the Characteristics of Effective Learning:

• Playing and exploring - finding out and exploring, playing with what they know, being willing to 'have a go'.

• Active learning - being involved and concentrating, keeping trying, enjoying achieving what they set out to do.

• Creating and thinking critically - having their own ideas, making links, choosing ways to do things.

Areas of Learning and Development

There are seven areas of interconnected learning and development that shape our educational programme.

You can find out more about how your child is learning and developing during their first five years in relation to the EYFS in a booklet called 'What to expect in the Early Years Foundation Stage', available by clicking on the image below.

Learning Through Play

Children learn and develop through playing, exploring, being active, creative and being asked and involved in conversations to help their thinking. We provide a wide range of interesting activities that are appropriate for your child's age and stage of development to help your child to make progress in each of the areas of learning and development. In some of these activities the children decide how they will use the activity and, in others, an adult takes the lead in helping the children to take part in the activity.