Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS) starts when children begin Nursery and continues to the end of Reception. Children’s brains are developing rapidly and a high quality Early Years education plays a vital role in helping children to learn and develop – mentally, emotionally, socially and academically.
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In Reception at Cringle Brook we promote creativity and independence while giving children the opportunities to be imaginative and critical thinkers. We strive to help children develop confidence and independence and develop a positive attitude to learning.
Creativity, exploration and investigation are encouraged and thorough these skills children develop their imaginations, increase their understanding and improve their language skills. Through child -initiated play and adult-focused activities children learn important early mathematical, linguistic and scientific concepts. They are also acquiring social skills through their interactions with others.
Click the button below for a parents guide to starting Reception at Cringle Brook
​​The four principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage underpin all teaching and learning in Cringle Brook EYFS.
A unique child - Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Positive relationships - Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
Enabling environments - Children learn well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents/carers.
Learning and development - Children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years settings, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Within this there are seven areas of learning and these shapes the educational programme in our early years setting. All areas are interconnected but there are three areas that are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, for building children’s capacity for learning and to help them form relationships and thrive.
​The 3 Prime areas are:
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Communication and Language development - giving children opportunities to speak and listen in a range of situations and to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves.
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Physical development - providing opportunities for young children to be active and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy food choices.
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Personal, Social and Emotional development - helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.
The 4 specific areas are:-
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Literacy development – encouraging children to read and write, both through listening to others reading and beginning to read and write themselves. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials – books, poems, and other written materials, to ignite their interest.
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Mathematics – providing children with opportunities to practise and improve their skills in counting, calculating simple additions and subtractions, and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures.
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Understanding the World – guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
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Expressive Arts and Design - involves supporting children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology