‘At Yellow Bee Nursery we believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life, to help achieve this we deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in a safe and stimulating environment. We hope to support the children in our care and help them reach their full potential.

The aim of the EYFS is to help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcome of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic welling.

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Philosophy

Early childhood is the foundation on which children build the rest of their lives. It is not just preparation for the next stage - it is vitally important in itself.

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Introduction

The Early Years Foundation Stage Policy at Yellow Bee,applies to all children from when they join Lower Kindergarten at age two, until the end of their Reception year (the academic year in which they turn five). The children in Lower and Upper Kindergarten follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, which prepares them for learning in Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.

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Children joining Yellow Bee have already learnt a great deal, with their parents and carers as their main educators. We recognise that effective practice within the Early Years Foundation Stage is built on four guiding themes, and we base the education we offer on these, as outlined below.

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A unique child: we build on what children already know and can do, and we ensure that all children are included and have access to the whole curriculum.

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Positive relationships: we encourage the development of independence from the base of a secure relationship with a key person, and we work in partnership with parents, welcoming and valuing their contributions.

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Enabling environments: we provide a rich and stimulating environment to support and extend children’s learning and development.

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Learning and development: we offer a structure for learning that has a range of starting points, content that matches the needs of young children and activity that provides opportunities for learning both indoors and outdoors.

 

Our Aims

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Our aims for teaching and learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage are:

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• to promote the social, emotional, physical, spiritual and intellectual development of each child;

• to provide a stimulating and safe environment for learning where children can engage in first hand experiences;

• to support and extend children’s learning through purposeful observation, evaluation and interaction.

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Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum

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The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum lays down a secure foundation by supporting, fostering, promoting and developing seven areas of learning. All seven areas are equally important and interrelated. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas are the prime areas. They comprise:

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1.Communication and Language

2.Physical Development

3.Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Children are also supported through four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are:

4.Literacy

5.Mathematics

6.Understanding the World

7.Expressive Arts and Design

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These areas are developed through planned, purposeful play with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Through the EYFS, children learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking, which takes place both indoors and outside.