A child’s experience in the Early Years has a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right and it provides the foundation for children to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.

When parents choose to use any type of day care they want to know that provision will keep their children safe and help them to thrive. We at Handkerchief follow and implement the Early Years Foundation Stage which is a framework that provides that assurance and supports practitioners in enhancing the setting and the daily experiences that every child will be part of or have access to.

A Principled Approached
The Early Years Foundation Stage principles guide the work of all nursery practitioners and are grouped into four distinct but complimentary themes:

Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.

The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development and learning.

Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.

Throughout the EYFS framework we ensure that the six areas of learning and development are included in all that we do. It encourages practitioners to observe, plan and assess activities based on the individual child to ensure their developmental needs are catered for and met.

• Personal, Social and Emotional
  Children must be provided with experiences and support which will help them to develop a positive sense of themselves and of others; respect for others; social skills; and a positive disposition to learn. At Handkerchief we ensure support is provided for children’s emotional well-being to help them to know themselves what they can do.
• Communication, Language and Literacy
  Children’s learning and competence in communicating, speaking and listening, being read to and beginning to read and write must be supported and extended. They must be provided with the opportunity and encouragement to use their skills in a range of situations and for a range of purposes, and be supported in developing the confidence and disposition to do so.
• Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
  Children must be supported in developing their understanding of Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practice, and talk about their developing understanding. They must be provided with opportunities to practice and extend their skills in these areas and to gain confidence and competence in their use.
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
  Children must be supported in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. Their learning must be supported through offering opportunities for them to use a range of tools safely; encounter creatures, people, plants and objects in their natural environments and in real-life situations; undertake practical ‘experiments’, and work with a range of material.
• Physical Development
  The physical development of babies and young children must be encouraged through the provision of opportunities for them to be active and interactive and to improve their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. They must be supported in using their senses to learn about the world around them and to make connections between new information and what they already know. They must be supported in developing an understanding of the importance of physical activity and making healthy choices in relation to food.
• Creative Development
  Children’s creativity must be extended by the provision of support for their curiosity, exploration and play. They must be provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings, for example, through a variety of art, music, movement, dance, imaginative and role-play activities, mathematics, and design and technology.

To gain a better insight into the Early Years Foundation Stage visit www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs or ask one of the team.