OUR CURRICULUM
EYFS - EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a framework in England that sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old, ensuring they are safe and well-supported while promoting their overall development.

 

The EYFS focuses on both what children learn and how they learn through play and other activities, aiming to prepare them for school readiness and future success. 

 Children's progress is assessed through observation rather than testing, focusing on their development in each area of learning. All achievements are recognised and celebrated.

 

The Early Years Foundation Stage outlines how early years providers should safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It emphasizes putting the child's needs first, acting promptly, and ensuring a safe and supportive environment. Key areas include child protection, suitable staff, ensuring staff are trained, implementing effective staff-child ratios, and creating a safe and suitable environment. 

 

Dots n Spots follows Development Matters as part of our curriculum, this is a non-statutory guidance document for early years practitioners in the UK, providing a framework for understanding and supporting children's development and learning. It's not legally required, but it's designed to help practitioners develop effective and individualized curricula that meet children's needs and build on their strengths. 

 

The EYFS framework defines seven areas of learning and development for our children. 

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THERE ARE THREE MAIN AREAS TO THE EYFS

 

Communication and Language (CL)

We help your child to learn to communicate effectively with ourselves, you and other children, expressing their needs, wants, likes and dislikes, this is through verbal, body language and at Dots n Spots we use Makaton.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

When we support your children to develop and grow we begin with their PSED; we help them settle into our nursery with your support, we ensure they have a key worker who they bond with and we support them in being confident within themselves. Without PSED children will struggle to develop in other areas of their learning.

Physical Development (PD)

We help children to develop both their fine and gross motor development. Fine motor: drawing, painting, threading, doing puzzles and action rhymes etc. Gross motor: climbing, jumping, running, riding bikes etc.

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There are four further areas that all children are supported in.

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Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts & Design and Literacy

This will give children the foundation to starting school and aid their learning and development, this is carried out at their individual pace and stages of development.

 

The EYFS also puts many regulations upon a nursery around the Welfare Rights of the child and the requirements we must adhere to in order to keep your children safe, these are more stringent than previously. Considering we are following the EYFS regarding your child’s development and adhering to the welfare requirement here at Dots n Spots you can be confident that your child is being cared for in the best possible environment here with us.