There are seven areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. The children are provided with opportunities to develop skills in all the areas of learning through key person planned opportunities and the children’s independent exploration of activities. In the Nursery and Kindergarten class the emphasis is on developing the children’s skills in the Prime Areas. However throughout the week the children will be given opportunities to engage in activities and experiences from all the areas of learning, for example counting songs, reading stories and exploring paint.

Prime areas of learning

Personal Social and Emotional Development is about helping children understand and manage their emotions, learn about their bodies and what their bodies need to grow and be healthy and learn how to interact with the other children and adults around them. 

Communication and Language encourages the children to communicate in their unique ways and provides the stepping stones towards speech. We want our children to be confident expressing themselves in whatever way they choose.

Physical Development is about the children moving freely and with co-ordination in a variety of ways, indoors and outdoors and providing them with the physical challenges to help them reach the next step in their physical development.

Specific areas of learning

Literacy in our nurseries is about exposure to many different types of books and fostering a love of reading in the children.

Mathematics is in everything and through a problem solving approach we can help our children understand the importance of Maths in daily life. For example counting the number of bibs needed at lunchtime to filling and emptying cups in the sand tray.

Understanding of the World is designed to help the children explore and understand their surroundings. So that they can begin to make connections in their experiences for example objects in the garden can be cold to touch and the food from the fridge is cold to touch. 

Expressive Arts and Design encourages the children to explore colour, texture and shape, begin to imagine and explore the different sounds made by instruments. 

For more information about the Early Years Foundation Stage please visit the website www.foundationyears.org.uk