Learning and Development

Curriculum

Why is learning and development key?

Learning and development shape the activities and experiences that childcare providers offer children under the age of 5. The EYFS states that the educational programme offered must involve activities and experiences that cover 7 significant and inter-connected areas of learning and development.

Giggle and Grow Pre- School follows a daily and long-term plan to support a children’s pre-school education. Our planning will mirror the principles from the Early Years Foundation Stage framework as well as the childrens interests. The pre-school will adapt its curriculum using Birth to 5 Matters to support practitioners to implement the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in a pedagogically sound, principled and evidence-based way. Practitioners can then use their professional judgement based on their knowledge of the children in their setting and their wider context including family, community and the setting itself to carefully meet the needs of individual children by regularly monitoring their progress.

At Giggle and Grow Pre-school we operate with the Government’s mandated EYFS statutory framework 2021. A copy of this document can be found here.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

At Giggle and Grow, we follow closely the guidelines outlined in the early years foundation stage and would like to take this opportunity and let you know about the Early Years Foundation Stage. This is a set of guidelines put in place by the Government and early years professionals to support your child(s) development through birth to age 5, when they start school. It sets out the legal welfare requirement, the 7 areas of learning and development and the expected levels that your child should reach at age 5.

The four guiding principles from the Early Years Foundation Stage should shape practice in early years settings. 

These are: 

• Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured

• Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships 

• Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers

• Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.  

Here is brief look at each of these 7 areas and why they are important to your child’s development.

Prime Areas

Personal, social, and emotional development

This area helps to shape children’s social skills and develops respect and an understanding of their different feelings.

Communication and language development

Providing an environment for young children to express themselves and speak and listen in a range of situations allows them to develop their language and communication skills.

Physical development

We all know that young children often love to be active, but they also need to understand that continued physical activity as well as healthy food choices are important, and why

Specific Areas

Literacy development

It’s important for children to discover phonemic awareness – the ability to hear and identify different words and sounds, and also to start reading and writing.

Mathematics

Children need to be guided in developing skills with numbers and calculations, as well as being able to describe shapes, spaces, and measures.

Understanding the world

This involves children making sense of things by observing and exploring everything from the places they spend time to the technology and other things that they use.

Expressive arts and design

Activities like drawing, playing with paint, instruments or technology all give children the chance to express themselves and learn new things.