Here is a recap of the letter that we sent out at the beginning of the year, outlining a little bit more about the Early Years Curriculum and the national expectations for the end of the year.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their development throughout Nursery and Reception.
Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development.
Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. These are:
• Communication and language;
• Physical development; and
• Personal, social and emotional development.
These prime areas are those most essential for your child’s healthy development and future learning.
As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. These are:
• Literacy;
• Mathematics;
• Understanding the world; and
• Expressive arts and design.
These 7 areas are used to plan your child’s learning and activities. Planning for this curriculum is designed to be flexible so that your child’s unique needs and interests are supported. Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. Below is a link to the government document that helps teachers with their planning and assessment throughout the year.
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf
EARLY LEARNING GOALS
At the end of the Reception year, children are assessed in relation to ‘Early Learning Goals’ and are given a judgement as to whether they are ‘meeting the expected levels of development’, ‘exceeding the expected levels’ or ‘not yet reaching the expected levels’ (‘emerging’)’. It is important for you to see these early learning goals so that you know what the national expectations for children at the end of Reception are in each area of learning. If your child is exceeding these goals then the National Curriculum for Year 1 is used to ensure they are being challenged at the appropriate level. Below is a link to government exemplification materials for each of the early learning goals. The aim is not just that children reach these expected goals but that they are given the opportunities to exceed them.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eyfs-profile-exemplication-materials