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The Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a framework that guides the learning and care of children from birth to five years old. At The Square Nursery School, we follow the EYFS to ensure every child receives supportive and enriching early education that promotes their well-being and prepares them for future learning. The EYFS covers seven key areas: Communication and Language; Physical Development; Personal, Social, and Emotional Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; and Expressive Arts and Design.

 

Our curriculum is flexible and personalised, helping us to foster each child’s unique talents and interests through structured activities, engaging teaching methods, and ongoing assessments. This approach ensures that every child not only progresses well but also enjoys their time in our caring and educational environment. In planning and guiding what children learn, our practitioners reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately. This tailored approach ensures that each child’s individual needs are met, and their unique developmental pace is respected.

 

We incorporate three key characteristics of effective teaching and learning into our approach: playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. Through playing and exploring, children investigate and experience things, and 'have a go,' encouraging curiosity and a willingness to engage with new experiences and challenges. Active learning helps children concentrate, persevere when they encounter difficulties, and take pride in their achievements, building resilience, focus, and a sense of accomplishment. Creating and thinking critically allows children to develop their own ideas, make connections between concepts, and develop strategies for problem-solving, fostering creativity and critical thinking.

 

By integrating these characteristics into our daily activities, we create an environment where children can thrive, learn, and develop in a way that is both enjoyable and meaningful. Our commitment to following the EYFS framework and adapting to each child's developmental needs ensures that every child at The Square Nursery School receives the best possible start in their educational journey.

Communication and Language

We enhance communication skills through interactive storytimes and daily discussions, encouraging children to express themselves and listen to others, fostering respect and tolerance as part of British values.

Personal, Social and Emotional development 

Our nurturing environment fosters confidence and social skills, with activities designed to promote empathy, teamwork, and emotional awareness through play and collaboration.

Physical Development

We encourage physical activity and motor skill development through daily outdoor play in our garden, PE sessions, and hands-on activities like cooking and arts and crafts.

Expressive Arts and Design

Our nursery promotes creativity through diverse art projects, music sessions where children experiment with instruments, and dramatic play areas that allow them to imagine and create.

Mathematics

We introduce foundational math concepts through practical activities like baking, where children learn about measurements and quantities, and outdoor games that incorporate counting and sorting.

Understanding the World

Children explore and learn about the world around them through nature walks, gardening activities in our own patch, and interactive sessions about different cultures and environments.

Literacy

Our literacy activities involve themed story sessions, regular visits to the local library, and fun phonics games, all aimed at instilling a love of reading and writing from an early age.

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