The EYFS framework sets the standards to make sure that children aged from birth to 5 learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.

The framework is for all Ofsted registered early years providers in all settings, including:

• nurseries

• childminders

• pre-schools

• reception

What are the prime Areas of Learning and Development?

The prime Areas of Learning and Development are:

Communication and language 

- this area includes speaking and listening skills.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

- this area includes personal wellbeing and social interaction

with others.

Physical Development

- this area includes developing large movement skills (such

as throwing a ball) and small movement skills (such as

holding a spoon).

At Leighton Preschool these are the areas of development that are the prime areas .We shall be providing activities and resources to learn through play to promote these areas of development . 

Communication and language development 

The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children's language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, storytelling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modeling from the staff, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures. We encourage children to extend their vocabulary through our story sessions, singing nursery rhymes and through experiencing our curiosity cube as well as our high quality interactions with our practitioners.

 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives, and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Underpinning their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. Children should be supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and wait for what they want and direct attention as necessary. Through adult modeling and guidance, they will learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and manage personal needs independently. Through supported interactions with other children, they learn how to make good friendships, co-operate and resolve conflicts peaceably. We promote good manners by saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ at snack times . We promote self help skills when children are toilet training and putting their coats on . We encourage the children to ask for help when it's needed . We also in addition support the children to look after and tidy up resources when required to know how to play alongside other children following our rules and boundaries .These attributes will provide a secure platform from which children can achieve at school and in later life

 

 

 

Physical Development

Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination and positional awareness through tummy time, crawling and play movement with both objects and adults. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility. Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being. Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye coordination, which is later linked to early literacy. Repeated and varied opportunities to explore and play with small world activities, puzzles, arts and crafts and the practice of using small tools, with feedback and support from adults, allow children to develop proficiency, control and confidence.

We support these outcomes through activities provided inside and in our outside area . We have various equipment to make obstacle courses and walkways for climbing on . We have a selection of scooters and tricycles for the children to develop their gross motor skills . While inside we use various different media and tools to create different pieces of artwork. This enables children to use their imagination and fine motor skills to develop a comfortable pencil grip and hold other tools such as paintbrushes, glue spreaders and scissors.