Learning & Development

The Early Years Foundation Stage: Themes and Commitments

• A unique child
• Positive relationships
• Enabling environments
• Learning and development
  • Personal, social and emotional development
  • Communication, language and literacy
  • Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
  • Knowledge and understanding of the world
  • Physical development
  • Creative development

Personal, social and emotional development is at the heart of all our teaching.

At pre-school our children engage in play activities so they can access all these areas of learning. Often one experience provides a child with opportunities to develop a number of competencies, skills and concepts across several areas of learning.

We value outdoor play and children can move freely between indoor and outdoor environments.

Through both child- and adult-initiated play the children learn pre-writing, reading and number skills, social skills and personal responsibility. Imaginative play helps children form relationships with each other, they learn to share and develop self-control, self-confidence, independence and inter-dependence. Creative play can help children develop their thinking and scientific skills, problem solving skills, fine motor skills and creative talents. Physical play encourages children to develop balance and control of their bodies and the ability to play co-operatively (recognising space, agility and size), and hence personal responsibility. Finally, songs, stories and rhymes help develop children’s communication skills and aids concentration.

Please contact us if you’d like any further information.