Early Years Foundation Stage
Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception)
In planning and guiding children’s learning experiences, staff in our Nursery and Reception units reflect on the different ways that children learn and cater for these in their daily practice.
Three characteristics of effective learning in the early years are:
- 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
Learning experiences for Nursery and Reception children are planned around seven Prime and Specific Areas of Learning and experience. Early Learning Goals summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young children should have gained by the end of the Reception year.
Playing and exploring with the willingness ‘to have a go’, alongside being an active learner engaging in ‘hands on’ experiences, develops each child’s ability to make links, share views and express ideas in a safe and supportive learning environment.
Early Years practice is developed in line with ‘best practice’ guidelines and supports the concept of continuous provision, free-flow, and a predominantly child-led learning environment both indoors and outdoors. At the heart of this is the development of communication and language skills.
