General EYFS Information
In the Early Years Foundation Stage at Hawridge and Cholesbury we believe a successful start to school life starts young children on their way for a future of lifelong learning.
Our aim is to inspire our youngest children to be Fascinated, Rounded, Eager to make a difference, Spiritual and Hold high aspirations for themselves in a nurturing environment that will enable them to be fulfilled community members of the future.
We aim to create an environment in which the children learn and develop, providing experiences which relate to their individual needs. We foster a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers. The children in EYFS learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships and a stimulating and happy atmosphere.
There are seven areas of learning and development that comprise the EYFS framework:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
These areas, however, cannot be delivered in isolation; they are all equally important and depend upon one another to support a rounded approach to a child’s learning and development. All seven areas are used to plan the teaching and activities to ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full and unique potential.
It is important to emphasise that at Hawridge and Cholesbury we also teach the children how to become learners through developing their Characteristics of Effective Learning:
- Through playing and exploring, they become engaged, curious and willing to try new things.
- Through active learning, they learn to be motivated and persistent and to enjoy a sense of achievement
- By creating and thinking critically, they develop their thinking skills so that they can have their own ideas, make links between their experiences and make decisions and choices in their learning.
Academic activities take place alongside child initiated learning which we call ‘Playing and Learning’ and are available where possible both inside and outside. Alongside the curriculum all children in EYFS have access to weekly sessions in our Forest School area, which we explore and learn in all year round.
Curriculum Documents and Links
EYFS Framework – EYFS Statutory Framework 2024
What to expect in the Early Years Foundation Stage - a guide for parents