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Early Years Foundation Stage

At Circle of Friends, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum to ensure every child receives the best possible start to their learning and development. The Early Years Foundation Stage Document gives essential guidance to all practitioners working with children from birth through to 5 years of age.

Children will be encouraged through the six areas of learning and development outlined in the document. This support is given through playing, observing, planning, questioning, experimenting, with a wide range of resources in a fun, and stimulating way.

Experienced practitioners plan learning opportunities considering the children’s needs and achievements. Well-planned play is a key way children will learn with enjoyment and challenge through The Early Years Foundation Stage.

The EYFS will be the stage your child is in when they attend our setting.  It is also the stage that they are in until the end of the Reception year at school.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework that sets the standards that all Early Years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children are ready for school and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.

Progress check at age two

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requires that parents and carers must be supplied with a short written summary of their child‟s development in the three prime learning and development areas of the EYFS: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development; and Communication and Language; when the child is aged between 24-36 months.
 
The EYFS sets the standards for development, learning and care of children from birth to age five. This document is intended to support practitioners within early years settings who are undertaking the EYFS progress check at age two. The progress check has been introduced to enable earlier identification of development needs so that additional support can be put into place.

Parent EYFS guide

For further information click the link below:
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/early-years-foundation-stage-2012/

Equal Opportunities

A sense of belonging contributes towards self esteem, security and identity of the child. The nursery will endeavour to make children understand that they are accepted and valued.

Each child will be valued as an individual, aiming to celebrate their own cultures, achievements and significant events in their lives. Good practice will enable all children to develop positive attitudes to differences in race, culture, language, abilities and gender.

We liaise with parents about the child’s significant events during the day and important events at home.

Special Education Needs

The nursery is committed to the integration of children with special needs. All children have the right to be educated and develop their full potential alongside each other.

It is a positive experience to be able to share the same opportunities and overcome any difficulties together. We endeavour to recognise any individual needs a child may have and to ensure all staff are aware of the identification and assessment of special needs.

We have a special needs co-ordinator (SENCO) who is experienced in the care and assessment of children with special needs.

By working alongside parents and outside agencies, we can plan for children’s individual needs. This co-operation enables us to support them to develop to their full potential.

Quality Resources

Circle of Friends Day Nursery will provide the best quality recreational and educational resources in the implementation of Early Years Foundation Stage (DfES 2007/2008).

Early childhood is characterised by a desire to play, to imagine and to actively explore a world that is new and exciting.

The nursery shares the children’s enthusiasm, by providing books, toys, resources, natural objects, and experiences that both helps them to understand their world and encourages them to extend their learning and development through exploration and investigation.

Computers

Computers can play a significant part in children’s learning experiences throughout their school days and beyond. Used sensibly they can be extremely helpful in the teaching of Language and numbers.

We use programs designed in a context that readily engages and motivates the young learner and involves early reading and number skills through number identification, matching and sequencing activities.

For the younger children the use of computers familiarises them with songs, rhymes and stories through repetition and memory recall.

We facilitate the use of a computer where each child can play and learn within a set period of time as our nursery policy is based on the belief that prolonged periods of time on the computer are not desirable.

Relaxation and Sleep

Circle of Friends Day Nursery recognise the benefits of relaxation. Through relaxation children sleep better, play better, concentrate better and are in all matter of ways happier.

We have dedicated a room on the second floor to promote sleep and relaxation for all the children. We aim to offer a soothing, calm and relaxing environment which is equipped with a range of sensory resources, soft furnishings and calming music.

Depending on their personal needs, this peaceful atmosphere enables each child to either sleep or just enjoy a special quiet time.

Supporting Bilingual Children

We have staff within the nursery that speak an additional language and are from varied ethnic backgrounds.

Our staff value and support children and families in their first language and ethnicity and this practice ensures that all the children in the nursery gain an awareness of other native languages.

Safety and Security

The children’s safety and security is paramount at all times. We have installed high level security devices and equipment to prevent unauthorised entry and to ensure that all children remain safely on the premises.

• CCTV cameras
• External door security locking mechanism
• Password system
• Key coded locks on Internal doors
• 6ft fence round Outdoor facilities
• Qualified staff
• Staff have good Enhanced Criminal Records Certificates
• Guests are supervised
• Emergency fire exists
• Fire procedures are in place

The nursery is a converted 19th century schoolhouse, which we have separated into two open plan rooms