EYFS

The Foundation Stage is an important stage in a child’s school career, as during this time attitudes to learning are formed and social skills developed which lay the foundations for future education.

In the Foundation Stage we follow the nationally agreed Early Learning Goals, which outline exactly what children should know, understand and do by the time they complete Foundation 2 (Reception Year). The curriculum underpins all future learning by supporting, fostering, promoting and developing children’s skills through the seven areas of learning and development, which are equally important and inter-connected. These include:

• Personal, social and emotional well-being and positive attitudes and dispositions towards their learning and persistence;
• Listening, language and communication skills
• Reading, writing and phonic knowledge
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Expressive art and design skills

Children joining the Foundation stage at Charlton Manor have already learnt a great deal. Through the Early Years Curriculum that we offer, they will have opportunity to build on this knowledge and make sense of the world.

Learning through interesting and motivating topics and stimulating provision offers a broad and balanced curriculum, ensures continuity and progression of skills and a balance between adult and child initiated activities and learning experiences that enable the children to achieve and exceed the early learning goals. We value the diversity of individuals and we give children every opportunity to achieve their best. We do this by taking account of the children’s range of life experiences when planning for their learning.

Play and active learning underpins all development and learning for young children. The learning areas in the Foundation Stage are set up in a way to meet children’s developmental needs by the emphasis on practical, hands on learning experiences that promote independence, confidence and prepare them for the next step in their education as they make vertical transition through Key Stages. Children are encouraged to access resources freely and use them in their learning to develop their creativity, extend their thinking and risk taking, but are also taught how to recognise and avoid hazards. To meet the needs of the children, we set expectations that are realistic but at the same time challenging, so our children achieve Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage.

Our role is to make our children feel secure, valued, and confident and develop a sense of achievement through learning which is pleasurable and rewarding. We educate children on boundaries and rules and help them understand why these exist. We support them in developing confidence in expressing themselves and provide them with choices to help them develop this important life skill and we use a ‘positive praise’ approach with consistent rewards.

We recognise that children learn to be confident and independent from secure relationships. We aim to develop caring, respectful, professional relationships with the children and their families. We work closely with Parents and Carers and we recognise that they are children’s first and most enduring educators. We value the contribution that they make and recognise their role in educating the children.