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Parents’ Guide to the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
We recognise that each child is an individual and we enable them to develop at their own pace. Children will often work at different levels within the seven areas of the EYFS and will receive additional support as needed such as in developing their communication and language skills. All children at the Opportunity Group have Individual Education Plans with targets to support their learning and development.
There will be termly opportunities to meet with the Manager to discuss your child’s progress and ask any questions you may have. Your child’s Team Lead or the Manager will also be available to talk to you about your child’s learning and development before or after the group sessions.
What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?
Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which is how the Government and early years professionals describe the time in your child’s life between birth and age 5.
This is a very important stage as it helps your child get ready for school as well as preparing them for their future learning. From when your child is born up until the age of 5, their early years experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support their development, care and learning needs.
Please see the link below for more information:
What is the EYFS framework and why do we have one?
The EYFS framework exists to support all professionals working in the EYFS to help your child and was developed with a number of early years experts and parents.
It sets out:
The legal welfare requirements that everyone registered to look after children must follow to keep your child safe and promote their welfare.
The 7 areas of learning and development which guide professionals’ engagement with your child’s play and activities as they learn new skills and knowledge.
Assessments that will tell you about your child’s progress through the EYFS.
There is also guidance for the professionals supporting your child on planning the learning activities, and observing and assessing what and how your child is learning and developing.
What does it mean to me as a parent?
Ensuring my child’s safety:
Much thought has been given to making sure that your child is as safe as possible. Within the EYFS there is a set of welfare standards that everyone must follow. These include the number of staff required in a nursery, how many children a childminder can look after and things like administering medicines and carrying out risk assessments.
Quality:
You can find out about the quality of your child’s nursery and other early years providers in relation to the EYFS framework by checking what Ofsted have to say about it. You can find this information at www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report.
Our latest inspection by Ofsted was in November 2023, when we were judged to be ‘Outstanding’, the highest category that is given to settings. In 2018 Ofsted also judged Dorchester Opportunity Group as ‘Outstanding’. You can access both Ofsted reports here: Dorchester Opportunity Preschool Group Ltd – Open – Find an Inspection Report – Ofsted
How my child will be learning
The EYFS framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their healthy development. Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding, at their own pace, through 7 areas of learning and development.
Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. The prime areas are the foundations for all future learning. These are:
– Communication and language
– Physical development
– Personal, social and emotional development
The majority of children at the Opportunity Group will receive additional support in communication and language development either by taking part in Speech and Language therapy groups or by receiving individual Speech and Language therapy sessions.
As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. These are:
– Literacy
– Mathematics
– Understanding the World
– Expressive arts and design
These 7 areas are used to plan your child’s learning and activities. The professionals teaching and supporting your child will make sure that the activities are suited to your child’s unique needs. This is a little bit like a curriculum in primary and secondary schools, but it’s suitable for very young children, and it’s designed to be really flexible so that staff can follow your child’s unique needs and interests.
Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.
As a mum or dad, how can I help with my child’s learning?
All the fun activities that you do with your child at home are important in supporting their learning and development and have a really long lasting effect on your child’s learning as they progress through school.
Even when your child is very young and is not yet able to talk, talking to them helps them to learn and understand new words and ideas. If you make the time every day to do some of the following things with your child, it will make a real difference to your child’s confidence as a young learner.
– Sing and tell nursery rhymes
– Talk about the numbers, shapes, colours, words and letters you see when you are out and about
– On a trip to the shops, talk about all the different packaging shapes and what foods you are going to buy
– Talk to your child at every opportunity – e.g. what you are going to do that day
– Share a book – talk about the pictures, see if your child can point to different objects.
– Plant seeds or bulbs in a pot or in the garden.
– Talk about the weather – rain, puddles, shadows, clouds
– Cook and bake together – talk about the different ingredients, colours, smells etc
– Cutting and sticking with old magazines
How can I find out how my child is getting on?
It is important that we work together in caring for your child. We can also support you in working with other professionals involved in your child’s care. You need to feel comfortable about exchanging information and discussing things that will benefit your child. The manager will organise termly meetings to discuss your child’s progress with you and will also be available at other times to talk to you, as will your child’s key worker.
When your child is 2
If your child starts at the Opportunity Group when they are two years old, staff will complete a Progress Check at 2. This check focuses on your child’s progress against the 3 prime areas of learning:
– Communication and language
– Physical development
– Personal, social and emotional development.
The check will highlight where your child is progressing well and any areas in which they would benefit from extra help or support — and how you can work with the Opportunity Group to help. You will be able to share this check with other professionals working with your child if you would like to.
Where can I go for further information?
We will be very happy to answer any of your questions or help with any problems you may have during the time your child is at the Opportunity Group.
The Dorchester Family Partnership Zone may also be able to provide you with information and run various parent and child activities. Their phone number is 01305 221348.
You can find the Early Years Foundation Stage document at Foundation Years – From pregnancy to children aged 5 under Policy. The Foundation Years website also includes a range of resources and contacts.
