Early Years

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the period of education from birth to five. The last year of the EYFS is often described as the reception year, since most children are admitted to the reception class of a primary school. During their reception year at school, the children will work towards the Early Learning Goals. Most children are expected to achieve the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage.

Well-planned play is a key way in which children learn with enjoyment and challenge during their early years. Children further their understanding by talking, observing, planning, questioning, experimenting, testing, reporting, reflecting and responding to adults and to each other.

In following the EYFS framework at Crawford's, we aim to provide a broad, balanced, differentiated curriculum which addresses the children's social, emotional, physical, intellectual, moral and cultural development within a safe, secure and stimulating environment.

Our curriculum enables the child to learn and develop skills, attitudes and understanding in seven areas of learning:

The Prime Areas:

Personal, Emotional and Social Development
Communication and Language
Physical Development

The Specific Areas:

Mathematics
Literacy (reading and writing)
Understanding the World
Expressive Art and Design

In planning for and guiding the children, we reflect on the different ways that they learn through 'The Characteristics of Effective Learning':

Playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things and 'have a go'
Active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things

At the end of the EYFS each child will be assessed against 17 key areas called the Early Learning Goals (ELG).

The EYFS prepares children for learning in Key Stage One when National Curriculum programmes are taught.