Children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework until they enter Year 1 or are ready to move onto the National Curriculum.

The EYFS Framework is a statutory document that outlines the areas of learning to be taught by schools, pre-schools and independent childcare professionals.

It identifies three prime areas of learning:

• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

and four specific areas, which work to support the prime areas:

• Literacy
• Maths
• Understaning the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

The Framework is based upon the following overarching principles:

• 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.

​To read the full documentation, please see the Foundation Years website or the Department for Education website.

As well as the statutory Framework, the EYFS bases its teaching and learning on the 'Development Matters' document, which can be read here.