EYFS

At St. Austin’s we teach the seven educational programmes from the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework, published by the Department for Education (DFE) through a themed approach.

Throughout the year, the children will partake in an ambitious curriculum which is designed in a sequential way to ensure progress towards our end of year goals. Our experienced Early Years team consider the individual needs and development of each child in our care. We use this information to provide challenging learning experiences for each child in all areas of learning and development. Our goal in Early Years is to lay solid foundations so that our children can be successful life-long learners.

The children in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learn through play. Play is essential for children's development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals and solve problems. During the school day, the children will engage in both adult-guided play and child-led play. Our environment indoors and outdoors are enhanced with resources designed to scaffold and maximise learning. On-going assessment is an integral part of the learning and development process. It involves adults knowing children's level of achievement and then shaping teaching and learning experiences for each child reflecting on that knowledge. When adults play with the children they scaffold the learning and ensure children are exposed to new language and vocabulary. There are four overarching principles in the EYFS. Every child is unique and individual and will make progress at different rates. In order to thrive, learn and develop, they need to have opportunities to create positive relationships with others and explore environments that stimulate their curiosity and generate enthusiasm for learning. These principles underpin all aspects of teaching and learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

As an EYFS team we lay solid foundations so that each child can develop as an individual. We promote a love of learning by providing an environment full of exploration and investigation. Our experienced staff identify the children’s starting points by interacting and observing the children in areas of provision. Through assessment, teaching and exploration in areas of provision we have high expectations for every child. Through careful planning, observation and assessment, staff continually identify the children’s next steps and provide a range of learning opportunities for the children to make progress throughout the year. The Early Learning Goals (ELG) are completed in the final term of EYFS. These goals provide parents, carers and teachers with a well-rounded picture of a child's knowledge, understanding and achievements and highlights their attainment against expected levels and their readiness for Year One.