In September 2008, the government implemented an extensive programme of regulations, setting standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five – the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ or EYFS. This was revised and the new framework came into force in September 2012. All settings, whether state schools, independent schools or nurseries and child-minders, must work within this statutory framework.

We embrace the underpinning principles at our school. These principles are:

• A Unique Child – every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
• Positive Relationships – children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and key people.
• Enabling Environments – the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
• Learning and Development – children develop and learn in different ways at different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected.

The EYFS identifies three prime areas of learning and development:

• Personal, Social and Emotional
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development

And four specific areas:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

During their time with us, children make progress in all of these areas. We complete the EYFS Profile for each child. It summarises children’s progress towards the early learning goals – this is a statutory obligation. We share this with parents and often gain further insight through parents’ input and parent meetings. We record each child’s progress by taking photographs and recording what they are doing and what they say.