Early Years Foundation Stage
The journey to lifelong learning begins through exploration, language and play. Within all of our Positive Steps Nurseries, our caring staff teams are here to encourage these strong foundations which lead to a lifetime of experiences.
Each of our Nurseries are registered and inspected in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and comply with all of its welfare and learning and development requirements to the highest possible standard. (For our most recent inspection report please click on the link displayed on our Home Page)
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is part of the Government's wider scheme, laid out in the Children's Plan and Every Child Matters, to give all children the best possible start in life.
Introducing statutory standards for childcare for 0- to 5-year-olds gives every child the right, regardless of their background, to play, have fun and develop safely when they are looked after outside of their home. It means that parents can relax, safe in the knowledge that their children will get the same excellent standards of learning and care, regardless of the type of setting they attend.
At the heart of the EYFS is the principle that young children need to play in order to have fun, make friends and to begin to learn and understand about the world around them. The EYFS is a play-based framework that acknowledges that every child is unique and they learn and develop at different rates and in different ways.
The EYFS is based around four themes:
- A Unique Child
- Positive Relationships
- Enabling Environments
- Learning and Development
Each theme is linked to an important Principle:
A Unique Child
Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Positive relationships
Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.
Enabling Environments
The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development and learning.
Learning and Development
Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.