Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfill their potential.  Children develop quickly in the early years and a child's experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances.  A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right.  Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.

 

At Millfields Nursery School we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage for babies and children up to the age of 5.  Children work towards the Early Learning Goals in the following seven areas.

 

The Three Prime Areas:

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Personal Social and Emotional Development

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This is where children learn about relationships, develop self confidence and awareness of themselves.  They learn how to manage their feelings and learn to adapt their behaviour to various situations.

 

Physical Development

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In this area of learning children learn about how to move their bodies in various ways.  They also develop how to use their fine motor skills which will in time enable them to hold writing tools.  Self care is also another strand where children learn how to look after their bodies and how to self manage their hygiene and toileting needs. 

 

Communication and Language

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Here children develop the skills they need to listen to each other, to maintain and develop their attention skills.  Children develop the skills to speak and communicate and use this in their everyday life.  Understanding language, sentences and instructions is also a part of this area of learning. 

 

Four Specific Areas:

 

Literacy

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The skills needed for reading and writing are included here.  This includes developing rhyme and a love of the written word.  Children share stories. rhymes and poems.  They re-tell and perform these to others.  Writing skills are developed through giving meaning to marks as they draw, write and paint.  They are also introduced to phonics. 

 

Mathematics

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In this area children not only look at numbers but they gain an understanding and awareness of number and what that looks like in the real world.  They start the foundations of mathematical application such as addition and subtraction.  Children also look at shape, space and measure.

 

Understanding the World

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Here children are encouraged to look at the world around them.  This starts with close family members, their friends, their community and the bigger world.  We look at different peoples lives which include religion, customs and job roles.  In technology children learn the skills they need to be able to interact with age appropriate software.

 

Expressive Arts and Design

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In this area of learning children explore sounds and build repertoires of songs.  Children are able to manipulate materials and explore what happens when they mix various types of media.  Role play is also developed here, by bringing story lines into their play and developing on these.