EYFS Teaching and Learning Policy
My home from home environment and learning through play ethos is guided by the Early Years Foundation Stage: Development Matters and the Statutory Framework. I note children’s interests and achievements through Tapestry online journals and termly reports. These are shared with parents and are used to inform my plans and organise resources for your child’s learning and development.
Development Matters states
The EYFS is about how children learn, as well as what they learn. Children need opportunities to develop their own play and independent exploration. This is enjoyable and motivating. They also need adults to ‘scaffold’ their learning by giving them just enough help to achieve something they could not do independently. Helping children to think, discuss and plan ahead is important, like gathering the materials they need to make a den before they start building. These are ways of helping children to develop the characteristics of effective learning...
Children learn and develop more from birth to five years old than at any other time in their lives. If children are at risk of falling behind the majority, the best time to help them to catch up and keep up is in the early years. Every child can make progress, if they are given the right support. When we give every child the best start in their early years, we give them what they need today. We also set them up with every chance of success tomorrow (Development Matters 2021).
The characteristics of effective teaching and learning
In planning and guiding what children learn, practitioners must reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately. 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
• creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things
Statutory framework for the EYFS
I plan around your individual children’s needs, providing challenging and enjoyable experiences in order to support ‘The Characteristics of Effective Learning' with attention to the Prime and Specific Areas of Learning and Development, all of which are interconnected. 'Babies and children do not develop in a fixed way. Their development is like a spider's web with many strands...' (Development Matters 2021).
The Prime areas of learning develop quickly in response to relationships and experiences, and
run through, and support learning, in all other areas and throughout life. The prime areas are
• Communication and language
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development
The Specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas,
and provide important contexts for learning, skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society.
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design
Observation, Planning and Assessment
'Development Matters' can help practitioners support children’s learning and development, by tailoring provision to you child's needs and interests. Observation, assessment and planning is at the core of effective early years practice. We can:
• Observe children as they play and interact during everyday and planned activities, and learn from parents about what the child can do at home.
• Assess what children can do, to help identify where the child might be in their developmental journey.
• Plan to support the child to build on their current knowledge, learning and development.
This way of 'teaching' is particularly appropriate to support learning in early years settings.
Termly Progress Reports and Development Checks
The EYFS requires early years practitioners to review children’s progress and share this with parents. In addition to the statutory " 2 Year Check' report and the 'Transition' to school document, I provide termly reports on your child's progress. I share with parents your child's interests and achievements every week through emails and discussion. I collect information about what children are interested in at home to help me provide for them as individuals and build on what they know and remember.
For the Integrated Review in Devon, bringing together health and early years education at age two
https://www.babcockldp.co.uk/improving-schools-settings/early-years/two-year-old-progress-check-integrated-review
https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2015/03/IR_Supporting_Material.pdf
If you would like to find out more about the Foundation Stage check out these useful websites
Development MattersNon-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage. July 2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/development-matters--2
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework 2021
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974907/EYFS_framework_-_March_2021.pdf
Birth to Five Matters
https://www.birthto5matters.org.uk/
The Parent's Guide to the EYFS
https://foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf
Contact
[email protected]
Tel. 01297 552011
My home from home environment and learning through play ethos is guided by the Early Years Foundation Stage: Development Matters and the Statutory Framework. I note children’s interests and achievements through Tapestry online journals and termly reports. These are shared with parents and are used to inform my plans and organise resources for your child’s learning and development.
Development Matters states
The EYFS is about how children learn, as well as what they learn. Children need opportunities to develop their own play and independent exploration. This is enjoyable and motivating. They also need adults to ‘scaffold’ their learning by giving them just enough help to achieve something they could not do independently. Helping children to think, discuss and plan ahead is important, like gathering the materials they need to make a den before they start building. These are ways of helping children to develop the characteristics of effective learning...
Children learn and develop more from birth to five years old than at any other time in their lives. If children are at risk of falling behind the majority, the best time to help them to catch up and keep up is in the early years. Every child can make progress, if they are given the right support. When we give every child the best start in their early years, we give them what they need today. We also set them up with every chance of success tomorrow (Development Matters 2021).
The characteristics of effective teaching and learning
In planning and guiding what children learn, practitioners must reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately. 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
• creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things
Statutory framework for the EYFS
I plan around your individual children’s needs, providing challenging and enjoyable experiences in order to support ‘The Characteristics of Effective Learning' with attention to the Prime and Specific Areas of Learning and Development, all of which are interconnected. 'Babies and children do not develop in a fixed way. Their development is like a spider's web with many strands...' (Development Matters 2021).
The Prime areas of learning develop quickly in response to relationships and experiences, and
run through, and support learning, in all other areas and throughout life. The prime areas are
• Communication and language
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development
The Specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas,
and provide important contexts for learning, skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society.
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design
Observation, Planning and Assessment
'Development Matters' can help practitioners support children’s learning and development, by tailoring provision to you child's needs and interests. Observation, assessment and planning is at the core of effective early years practice. We can:
• Observe children as they play and interact during everyday and planned activities, and learn from parents about what the child can do at home.
• Assess what children can do, to help identify where the child might be in their developmental journey.
• Plan to support the child to build on their current knowledge, learning and development.
This way of 'teaching' is particularly appropriate to support learning in early years settings.
Termly Progress Reports and Development Checks
The EYFS requires early years practitioners to review children’s progress and share this with parents. In addition to the statutory " 2 Year Check' report and the 'Transition' to school document, I provide termly reports on your child's progress. I share with parents your child's interests and achievements every week through emails and discussion. I collect information about what children are interested in at home to help me provide for them as individuals and build on what they know and remember.
For the Integrated Review in Devon, bringing together health and early years education at age two
https://www.babcockldp.co.uk/improving-schools-settings/early-years/two-year-old-progress-check-integrated-review
https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2015/03/IR_Supporting_Material.pdf
If you would like to find out more about the Foundation Stage check out these useful websites
Development MattersNon-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage. July 2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/development-matters--2
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework 2021
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974907/EYFS_framework_-_March_2021.pdf
Birth to Five Matters
https://www.birthto5matters.org.uk/
The Parent's Guide to the EYFS
https://foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf
Contact
[email protected]
Tel. 01297 552011