The Early Years Foundation Stage

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) is the curriculum that the Government sets for all early years providers (0-5 years) to make sure that ‘all children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe’. (Department for Education) There are 17 early learning goals to be aimed for by the end of the Reception year in school.

The Framework is divided into 3 sections;

1. Characteristics of Learning
2. 3 prime areas of learning
3. 4 specific areas of learning

Characteristics of learning

Playing and exploring - finding out and exploring, playing with what they know and being willing to ‘have a go’.

Active Learning -  being involved and concentrating, persevering and enjoying achieving, what they set out to do.

Creating and thinking critically -  having their own ideas, making links and choosing ways to do things.

Prime Areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development - making relationships and getting along with other children and adults, having confidence and self-awareness, and being able to manage their feelings and behaviour.

Communication and Language -  developing good listening and attention skills, to have good understanding and also speak and express themselves clearly.

Physical Development -  large and small movements in a variety of ways, having good control and co-ordination, handling different tools and equipment well. It also covers health and self-care, looking at ways to keep healthy and safe. 

Specific Areas


Literacy - stories, rhymes, books and reading, and also mark making/writing.

Mathematics -  numbers, counting, shape, space and measure.

Understanding the World -  people and communities and understanding about the world they live in, including ICT.

Expressive Arts and Design - develops different forms of expression, exploring music, dance and song, encouraging children to be creative in all respects. It also focuses on media and materials and imaginative/pretend play.

 

At St Joseph’s we plan to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that touches on all aspects across the year, based on the observations of children’s play and what their interests are. This appears in the weekly enhancements to the continuous provision, as well as in the adult-led focuses and group-time work.