Foundation Stage (3 - 5 years)
The Foundation Stage is a distinct stage in children's development and is important in it's own right and in preparing children for late schooling. Nursery children enter the Foundation Stage soon after their third Birthday and continue until they start year 1 of the National Curriculum.
What are Early Learning Goals?
The Early Learning Goals were published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in October 1999. There are 68 Early Learning Goals in the QCA's document and they set out what most children are expected to achieve by the end of the reception year.
Six areas of learning have been identified by the QCA:
PERSONAL SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT:Please click here for our policy which focuses on children learning how to work, play, co-orperate with others and function in a group beyond the family.
COMMUNICATION, LANUAGE AND LITERACY:Please click here for our policy which focuses on children developing competence in talking and listening and in becoming readers and writers.
MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT:Please click here for our policy which covers aspects of mathematical understanding and provides the foundation for numeracy.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD:Please click here for our policy which focuses on children developing knowledge and understanding of their environment, other people and features of the natural and made world.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:Please click here for our policy which focuses on developing physical control, mobility, awareness of space and manipulative skills in indoor and outdoor environments.
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT: Please click here for our policy which focuses on the development of children's imagination and their abiliy to communicate and to express ideas and feelings in creative ways.