South Kilvington C of E Academy

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 early experiences have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in providing the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. At South Kilvington we aim to work together with parents and carers to ensure that all children are supported in achieving their full potential.  

Learning takes place both inside and outside, whatever the weather, and we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Four guiding principles shape practice in our early years setting. These are: 

• Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
• Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
• Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers.
• Importance of learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates. (See “the characteristics of effective teaching and learning” at paragraph 1.15). The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

In planning and guiding what children learn, practitioners reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately. Three characteristics of effective teaching and learning 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

There are seven areas of learning and development that shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.

Three areas are particularly important for building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving. 

These are the prime areas:

• communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social and emotional development
  

Providers also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

The specific areas are:

• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design

The level of development children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS is defined by the early learning goals (ELGs). The ELGs support teachers to make a holistic, best-fit judgement about a child’s development, and their readiness for year 1.

Please click here to see the breakdown of the ELG's.

To read the statutory framework for Early Years Foundation Stage (2024), please click here.