Play

Play is absolutely essential for young children to learn and develop. Through play, children gain language, social and intellectual skills and develop their emotions and creativity. For most children their play is natural and spontaneous, although some children may need extra help from adults.

Play takes place indoors and outdoors and it is in these different environments that children explore and discover their immediate world around them. It is here they practise new ideas and skills, they take risks, show imagination and solve problems on their own and - as they grow – together with others.

The role that adults have is crucial. Adults provide time and space as well as resources. These might include clothes, boxes, buckets, old blankets, toys, games and activities that will inspire play and fire children’s imaginations. They observe play and join in when invited, they watch and listen before they get involved. They let the children lead in play. They value play and give children safe and challenging environments that support and extend learning and development.

When children start, we talk with parents about their children’s learning and development so far. We talk about the care that their children need and their routines at home. We find out what their children like. We observe the children’s learning and development, which enables us to plan the right activities for them. This means that they are supported with the next stages of their development. We then work with the children through their play to encourage, help and support their learning. We have regular parent consultations and we work with parents to do the progress checks with our 2 year olds.

The children’s learning and development is tracked, so that each child has his or her own unique learning journey. That allows us to analyse all the children’s learning journeys in the different areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

We report regularly on children’s learning and development to our Governing Body. Also, all of this information is written up in our Self-Evaluation Form (SEF), which is one of the first documents that Ofsted looks at as part of our inspections.

Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The EYFS framework is statutory for all early years providers in England. It was developed with early years experts as well as parents and introduced in 2008 (revised in 2021). It is a legal framework for learning and development in the early years, from birth to the age of 5.

It sets standards for all registered providers and it supports professionals to help children learn and thrive. It sets out:

The learning and development requirements, which define what providers must do, working in partnership with parents and/or carers, to promote the learning and development of all children in their care, and to ensure they are ready for school.

Assessments, including the progress check at age 2, which help parents, carers and practitioners to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and to plan activities and support.

Expected levels that children generally reach at age 5, usually the end of the reception year, which are called the Early Learning Goals.

The safeguarding and welfare requirements, which are designed to help providers create high quality settings which are welcoming, safe and stimulating, and where children are able to enjoy learning and grow in confidence.

The EYFS contains guidance for professionals on planning the learning activities, and observing and assessing what and how the children are learning and developing. Much thought is given to making sure that children are as safe as possible. The welfare requirements include the numbers of staff required in a nursery, how many children a childminder can look after, and things like administering medicines and carrying out risk assessments.

The EYFS explains how and what children will be learning to support their healthy development. They will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through the seven areas of learning and development. However, most children usually develop the prime areas first, and they are:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development

These prime areas are those most essential for children’s healthy development and future learning.

However, as children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in specific areas, which are:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

These seven areas are used to help staff plan children’s activities that will maximise learning. Staff make sure that the activities are suited to each child’s unique needs. This is a little bit like a curriculum in primary and secondary schools, but it suits very young children; and it is designed to be really flexible so that staff can follow each child's unique needs and interests. Much more information can be found on www.foundationyears.org.uk