EYFS in little peeple nursery

Little Peeple Nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles and guidance. The EYFS was produced by the government and early years professionals, to be used by all childcare or early education providers, including nurseries, pre-schools and child-minders.

There are seven areas of learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Every area of development is equally important. The three prime areas are personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and physical development. There are four specific areas in which the prime skills are applied: literacy, maths, expressive arts and design, and understanding the world. Stages of development are more important than ages.

Click on any of the links below to read more about how we put the EYFS principles into practice:

every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured

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We work towards meeting the needs of all our children. We realise though that every child is unique, with their own personality. We therefore plan the sessions based on our observations and conversations with children, as they play. We do this for each child individually, so that we can prepare for their next steps, extending things that they are interested in.

We are committed to working with you, as your child’s first and most important educator. We will follow your lead regarding your child.

children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships

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The key person system is at the heart of each child’s development within our settings. Each key person has special responsibilities for working with a small number of children, building relationships with them and with you, their parents. This reassures children, helping them to feel safe and cared for. The key person also takes the lead in observing, assessing, recording and planning for their children. Your child’s key person will communicate with you about your child’s interests and concerns at home, so that we can build on these in pre-school.

We operate a buddy system where two members of staff use each other’s help and expertise when evaluating their key children’s learning and development. In this way, when the child’s key person is not present for some reason, there will be another member of staff who knows the child well and has spent time building up a positive relationship.

children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs, and there is a strong partnership between staff and parents/carers

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Our settings provide children with access to a wide variety of stimulating, challenging, educational and fun activities, such as pretend play, construction, art and crafts, physical play and much more. Children have the opportunity to try new things, explore, and make choices, whilst gaining life skills. Toys and resources are easily accessible.

Children choose what they want to play with and how they want to play. Our trained staff are on hand though, to encourage sustained, shared thinking – in other words, to extend learning opportunities that arise during children’s play - solving a problem together, continuing a story, working out how something works, etc.

Our settings offer opportunities for the children to play with natural resources that will encourage them to explore using their own imagination, and to follow their own individual schemas (patterns of playing).

Peep staff work in partnership with parents/carers, and believe strongly in the partnership between home and setting.

learning and development: children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates

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The EYFS covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. 

Peep settings provide rich opportunities for the children to deepen their understanding by playing, talking, observing, planning, questioning, experimenting, testing, repeating, reflecting and responding to adults and to each other. It’s amazing how much children can do in their first two or three years of life!

We plan learning experiences of the highest quality, considering both children’s needs and achievements, and the seven areas of learning and development identified by the Early Years Foundation Stage. We believe that well-planned play helps young children to learn with enjoyment and challenge. Our well-qualified and trained staff have a key role to play in planning and supporting children during their play, both inside and outside in our garden.