Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) areas of learning and development have been produced by the government and early years professionals. I will use the areas of learning and development when I do observations, assessments and planning for your child’s individual needs. This ensures that I constantly meet the developmental needs of your child. If your child attends another setting I will connect with them. I will aim to complement the learning provided from the other setting, sharing information on your child’s learning and development.
The are 7 areas of learning and development are split into 2 parts-
1. The 3 prime areas- Which are the main focus for children under 3, but are also used for older children
2. The 4 specific areas- which are generally used for the over 3s but can still be relevant for the under 3s.
The 3 prime areas are:
• Personal Social and emotional development
• Physical development
• Communication and language
The 4 specific areas are:
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design
Observations, Assessments and Planning
Observations and assessments are important in helping us recognise your child’s progress, understand their individual needs and plan activities to support their learning.
There are two types of assessment: formative and summative.
Formative assessments are daily observations that will be noted during various activities and routines (recorded in learning journals). These observations enable us to understand the child’s level of achievement, interests and learning styles. Reflecting on this information I can plan activities/learning experiences that are challenging, meeting the needs of your child.
Summative assessments sum up observations over a longer period of time. Comments on the child’s achievements and next steps will be listed under the 7 areas of learning and development. These will be shared with parents and the child if old enough.
Progress Check at Age Two
When a child is aged between two and three a progress check is required. The check covers a short summary of the child’s development in the prime areas. Areas in which the child may be developing faster or slower than expected should be identified. This enables me to understand the child’s needs and plan activities to meet them. For parents it can be used to enhance development at home.
The progress check has been introduced to ensure earlier identification of development needs so that additional support can be put in place including support from other professionals where appropriate.
Ideally the progress check should be carried out in time for parents to share them with the health visitor at the two year old health and development review. My two year check forms have been designed to fit into the child’s red book. If the child attends other settings, the progress check should be done where the child has spent the most time.
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