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What is the EYFS?
EYFS stands for the Early Years Foundation Stage and it sets the standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old.
All schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers must follow the EYFS, including childminders, pre-schools, nurseries and school reception classes.
This is achieved through guidance from the EYFS Statutory Framework, which supports an integrated approach to early learning and care. It gives all professionals a set of common principles and commitments to deliver quality early education and childcare experiences to all children.
As well as being the core document for all professionals working in the foundation years, the EYFS framework gives mums and dads confidence that regardless of the setting they choose for their child's early education, they can be assured that same statutory commitments and principles will underpin their child's learning and development experiences.
(Ref: foundationyears.org.uk/eyfs-statutory-framework/)
What does the EYFS look like at Blue Button Childcare?
Children learn through play. I learn about my mindees' interests by getting to know them well and by listening to their parents/carers -the people who know them best. These strong bonds enable me to set up invitations to play, engaging activities and to take my mindees on amazing adventures with the technical support of the Development Matters. This is a non-statutory document that provides excellent guidance in helping Early Years practitioners to 'understand and support each individual child’s development pathway.'
My mindees are provided with plenty of exciting opportunities and share their time between the playroom, the 'chill out' room, exploring the garden and out and about on adventures in the local and wider community. Our days are flexible and are adapted depending on the needs of the children that day.
My mindees are always encouraged to play and to choose their own resources, developing their own ideas and challenging themselves. Sometimes they are invited to take part in more focused activities or they will ask me to help them achieve something specific so we go and find what we need. There are a wide range of resources available to them, which cover all 7 Areas of Learning.
Every child is unique and learns in their own way and at their own pace. I learn how your child plays so I can help them make great progress whilst having lots of fun and adventures! The way children learn and the way they are taught is known formally as The Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning.
I share details about my mindees' days with parents/carers via WhatsApp and home time conversations with ongoing discussions about how they're doing. I am always honest and will share both the fabulous and tricky moments, so we can work together to support the children. Every day, I take photos of the children and share them with their parents/carers, so they can see what their child has been up and I also print out a daily collage of group photos that goes in each child's learning journey. To find out more about this, please visit Parent/Carer Partnership.
Every term, I complete a Learning Update for each child that I send home along with their Learning Journeys, so parents and carers get a formal overview of their child's learning and development. Once a child leaves Blue Button to embark on their next adventure, their family gets to keep their Learning Journey as a lasting reminder of their time with us and I know these are treasured!
