Early Years Foundation Stage

We have started this school year with an exciting development for our ‘Early Years Foundation Stage.’ The government is preparing to release a new document of ‘Curriculum Guidance’ for the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ in September 2021. Our school has opted to be an ‘Early Adopter’ of this new guidance and will be piloting the ‘New Early Learning Goals’.

Please see the link below to view the Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage and the updated Development Matters:

Early Adopter Schools: EYFS Framework

The EYFS Framework

There are seven areas of learning and development that scaffold the children’s educational provision in Early Years. All areas of learning and development are important and are inter connected. No area of learning can be delivered by itself. Our children’s learning experiences enable them to develop competency and skills not just academically but also socially, emotionally and physically.

There are three prime areas, which are:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development

There are a further four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

The specific areas are:

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

All of these areas of learning are connected together. The characteristics of effective learning (playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically) weave through them all. That’s because children in the Early Years are becoming more powerful learners and thinkers. These characteristics develop as they learn to do new things, acquire new skills, develop socially and emotionally and become better communicators.

Early Adopters Letter

Early Years Policy

Foundation Stage Gallery

Mathematics

UNDERSTAND in depth numbers to 10, including number bonds.

RECOGNISE the pattern of the counting system.

COMPARE quantities in different contexts.

Communication and Language

ASK a relevant question and make a relevant comment.

CONVERSE in a back and forth exchange with friends and staff.

EXPRESS ideas and feelings with confidence.

Physical Development

DEMONSTRATE strength, balance and coordination when playing.

USE cutlery with confidence.

HOLD a pen effectively.

Expressive Arts and Design

CREATE a piece of art through musical inspiration.

PERFORM a story, song, rhyme or poem to an audience.

Personal, Social and Emotional

Show EMPATHY to others.

Show DETERMINATION to complete a task.

Show RESILIENCE in the face of challenges.

Show CURIOSITY about the world around them.

Understanding of the World

KNOW their own family tree.

CARE for the natural world around them.

APPRECIATE different religious and cultural communities in their hometown, and around the world.

UNDERSTAND how to read a simple map.

EXPERIMENT between cause and effect (speed, shape, direction and magnetism).

EXPLORE the world around them and explore how things work.

The gift of reading lasts forever…

Did you know?

• 20 minutes of reading per day gives you over a million written words per year!
• The number of words that a child knows on entry to Reception is a key predictor of success
• The benefits children get from having stories read to them are hugely increased when parents and guardians talk and ask questions about the story as well!
• Research shows that reading aloud is the single most important thing you can do for your child
• Research shows that repeated reading of favourite books can boost vocabulary by up to 40%
• A children’s book exposes your child to 50% more words than watching TV shows

St Joseph’s Virtual Library

Explore our exciting virtual library for a range of fantastic recommended read-along stories for children in EYFS!

St Joseph’s Virtual Library

You can also watch St Joseph’s staff reading their favourite children’s books as part of our Story Corner collection. Watch Mrs Medley read the Julia Donaldson classic The Gruffalo here.

The Story Corner