The learning at Charterhouse is well researched and planned with the emphasis on play and having fun. Our curriculum is adapted and activities are planned to meet the children’s individual needs and interests. We ensure the children are given opportunities to explore and expand their knowledge, to introduce their own personal interests and are given equal access to all activities. We plan our activities to cover all areas of the Early Years’ Foundation Stage (EYFS) to ensure that every child receives a quality experience that supports their care, learning and development. The Early Years’ Foundation Stage is a single flexible framework for the delivery of care, learning and development, for children from birth to 31st August following their 5th birthday (end of the reception year at primary school).
Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage
Children’s learning and development is supported through observing, assessing and planning. These are based round 4 themes and the principles that inform them.
The 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 and develop well in an enabling environment, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and where there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and carers.
Learning and development: Children develop and learn in different ways.
The Learning and Development Requirements of the EYFS outline seven areas of learning and development. All the areas are important and inter-connected, but three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three Prime Areas are:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development involves 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.
- Communication and Language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
- Physical Development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food., through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.
We also support children in the four Specific Areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied
- Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
- Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures.
- Understanding the World involves 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.
- Expressive Arts and Design involves enabling 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.