Early Years Foundation Stage

In Pre-school and Cubs Class we believe that your child’s learning is a partnership between home and school.

The children will be engaging in many carefully planned, play based activities to support every child on their own unique learning journey. 

Please take a look at ' A Parents Guide'

This is a guide written for Parents to read about what to expect and when within the Early Years.

Please take a look at the photographs showing a day in the life of children in Early years.

In our Ofsted Inspection in October 2019.

"Children in pre-school develop their language and communication skills effectively. Adults have designed an interesting and exciting learning environment so that children can learn well. This continues into Reception. Children are well prepared when starting school. Children learn to read quickly using their knowledge of sounds. Adults carefully use the school’s approach to teaching phonics. They provide timely support for children who need to catch up."

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders place a high priority on keeping pupils safe and well cared for. They provide up to date training for staff so that adults spot signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff are confident using the school’s systems to report concerns. Leaders work carefully with different professionals, so that pupils have the support that is needed.

At Guyhirn Primary School we look at what  underpins learning and development in all areas and how your child engages with other people and the environment, supporting your child to be an effective and motivated learner.  We consider how your child learns through the Characteristics of Learning -through playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically.

The Early Years foundation stage is split into Prime and specific areas of learning.

• The prime areas begin to develop quickly in response to relationships and experiences, and run through and support learning in all other areas. The prime areas continue to be fundamental throughout the EYFS.

• The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas, and provide important contexts for learning.

Prime Areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Making relationships, Self-confidence and self-awareness and Managing feelings and behaviour

Physical Development - Moving and handling & Health and self-care

Communication and Language - Listening and attention, Understanding and Speaking

Specific Areas

Literacy - Reading and Writing

Mathematics – Numbers, Shape, space and measure

Understanding the World - People and communities,The world and Technology

Expressive Arts and Design - Exploring and using media and materials and Being imaginative.

We use an online learning journey platform called Tapestry to record children's learning through carefully planned play in Early years

Tapestry keeps you in touch with your child’s day wherever you are

As parents, the first day of handing over your child to the care of another can be an emotional time. As your child adjusts to experiences without you at their childminder, nursery, or school, most parents continue to want to share in these times. Tapestry facilitates this, by enabling a personal journal, or diary, to build over time. Photographs, videos and notes of special moments are not only recorded, but can be made available regularly and often immediately to you.

Use iOS or Android apps to receive new entries in your child’s journal celebrating their achievements and exciting activities, individually or with their new friends and the staff looking after them. Contribute to this growing journal by commenting on the journal entries, or even adding your own. Let your child’s teachers know what your child loves doing at home by sending photos and videos back, helping them understand their development at home. Your child’s other relatives can also be set up with access to the Tapestry profile so you can all share the excitement of the growth of your child.

Also share these special moments with your child at any time by logging into their Learning Journal, using your own password. In addition to the simple pleasure of seeing your child’s enthusiasm in describing their day, talking together about the pictures and video clips in their journal helps to develop your child’s language skills and build their self-esteem.

When your child leaves their first early education provision, the teachers there can provide you with a copy of their Tapestry learning journal to keep and treasure, as an electronic file or paper copy, as well as enabling you to download and keep the videos that have given you an insight into their first independent experiences. Your child’s Tapestry journal can also be passed onto their primary school for their new teachers to add to, building a wonderful record of their development from baby and early childhood to the end of their primary education.