EYFS Policy
Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables
them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s
experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life
chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good
parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children
need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years
providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept
healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school
readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide
the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.
The EYFS seeks to provide:
• quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes
good progress and no child gets left behind
• a secure foundation through planning for the learning and development of each
individual child, and assessing and reviewing what they have learned regularly
• partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers
• equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every
child is included and supported
The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for
safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. The learning and development
requirements cover:
• the areas of learning and development which must shape activities and
experiences (educational programmes) for children in all early years settings
• the early learning goals that providers must help children work towards (the
knowledge, skills and understanding children should have at the end of the
academic year in which they turn five)
• assessment arrangements for measuring progress (and requirements for
reporting to parents and/or carers)
Our Early Years curriculum ensures that pupils are ready to develop their learning into Year 1 and that curriculum subjects are sequenced for progression of knowledge and skills.
Please click on the file below for Development Matters document updated in September 2023.