At our Preschool our children can confidentially progress in a caring environment.  

Each child's development will be tracked and monitor whilst working through EYFS curriculum, to ensure that, when they leave the nursery, they are more than ready for their next journey at school.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
and the Curriculum

At Swallow Risers we believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life. To help achieve this, we deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage in a safe and stimulating environment. We hope to support the children in our care and help them reach their full potential.

The aim of the EYFS is to help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes of Staying safe, Being healthy, Enjoying and achieving, Making a positive contribution and Achieving economic wellbeing.

The Early Years Foundation Stage is a principled approach delivered through four themes:

• A Unique Child

• Positive Relationships

• Enabling Environments

• Learning and Developing

The Curriculum

The EYFS Curriculum consists of Early Learning Goals that are set out into three Prime areas of learning and development:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development;

• Physical Development;

• Communication and Language.

And four Specific areas of learning and development:

• Literacy;

• Mathematics;

• Understanding the World;

• Expressive Arts and Design.

These areas will be covered throughout the preschool, the Curriculum is delivered through play and the planned activities will be suitable for the stage each child has reached. The children will be stretched but not pushed beyond their capabilities so they can continue to enjoy learning.

The planning will be a balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities. On-going observational assessments are carried out to inform planning for each child’s continuing development through play-based activities.

Children are encouraged to make choices and decisions about a range of activities they would like to be involved in throughout the day.

The EYFS Progress Assessment at Age 2.

The Early Years Foundation Stage 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 (see EYFS Curriculum) when the child is between 24-36 months.

The aim of the progress check is to:

• Review a child’s development in the three prime areas of the EYFS.

• Ensure that parents have a clear picture of their child’s development.

• Enable practitioners to understand the child’s need and plan activities to meet them within our setting.

• Enable parents to understand the child’s needs and, with support from practitioners, enhance development at home.

• Note areas where a child is progressing well and identifies any areas where progress is less than expected.

• Describe actions the provider intends to take to address any developmental concerns (including working with other professionals where appropriate).

The progress check:

• will be completed by the child’s key worker in conjunction with the Manager;

• arises from the on-going observational assessments carried out as part of everyday practice in the setting;

• is based on skills, knowledge, understanding and behaviour that the child demonstrates consistently and independently;

• takes account of the views and contributions of the parents;

• takes into account the views of other practitioners and, where relevant, other professionals working with the child;

• enables children to contribute actively to the process.