Early Years Foundation Stage

The staff at the Daisy Chain Nursery are early years providers. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2012 is a document that we use at our nursery to support the learning and development of children from birth through to five years of age. All early years providers are obliged to follow EYFS 2017 as a mandatory requirement.

As a registered early years provider, we are inspected regularly to ensure our nursery meets the minimum legal EYFS requirements. Inspections are usually undertaken by OFSTED. We receive ongoing support and information from Surrey County Council’s Early Years and Childcare Service.

How does EYFS 2017 Keep my Child Safe?

EYFS 2017 has statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements that explain what our nursery has to do in order to keep children safe. We frequently update all policies and procedures in accordance with EYFS 2017.

Examples of statutory requirements include:

  • Maintaining recommended staff-to-child ratios
  • Ensuring our staff are qualified and suitable for childcare at our nursery
  • Keeping our premises and our equipment safe for children to use
  • Providing training and supervision for staff to ensure they understand all key roles and responsibilities
  • Maintaining records of how to store or administer medicine and which staff members are trained in this area
  • Implementing strict data protection systems to protect confidential and sensitive information
  • Assigning a named person to manage behaviour

How Does EYFS 2017 Continue to Support my Child?

EYFS 2017 sets out guidelines to ensure early years providers such as the Daisy Chain Nursery help your child to learn and develop. This is achieved by teaching and learning through play. It is our ultimate objective to equip your child with the skills they need for the future. All staff must have an understanding of their responsibilities and to ensure your child’s individual needs are fulfilled through EYFS 2017.

Throughout his or her development, your child will be assigned a key person who will ensure they receive the learning and development they need from when they first begin attending our nursery. The key person ensures all teaching and learning is tailored around the needs of your child through communication with you as the parent. The key person also supports you by recommending ideas that encourage learning at home.

We have to consider the individual needs, interests and stages of development of every child that comes into our care. Using care and play, the Daisy Chain Nursery supports your child in three key areas:

Personal, Emotional and Social Development

  • Building relationships
  • Increasing self-confidence
  • Maintaining self-awareness
  • Managing feels and emotions
  • Controlling behaviour

Physical Development

  • Encouraging moving and handling
  • Promoting health and self-care

Communication and Language

  • Encouraging listening and attention
  • Developing understanding
  • Developing speaking

In addition to these three prime areas, our nursery plans activities in what are known as specific areas. Again, we use learning and development as tools:


Literacy

  • Learning to read
  • Learning to write

Mathematics

  • Learning numbers
  • Learning shapes
  • Understanding space and measure

Understanding the World

  • Looking at people and communities
  • Looking at the world
  • Looking at technology

Expressive Arts and Design

  • Using media and materials as a form of exploration
  • Being imaginative

Measuring EYFS 2017 Performance

Your child’s key person at the Daisy Chain Nursery will regularly discuss the development and interests of your child with you to ensure they are thriving with us and at home. This supports you and your child in planning a challenging environment and play-based activity to stimulate and progress learning. Two mandatory progress checks occur during EYFS 2017. The first takes place when your child is between the ages of two and three. The second takes place in the final term of the year your child turns five years of age.

If you have worries or concerns over your child’s progress, you can work with the assigned key person to find the best type of support. For children who speak English as a second language, we provide opportunities to develop their first language in play and to support the development of language in a home environment. We ensure your child is always presented with sufficient opportunities to learn and achieve good standards in English language throughout EYFS 2017.

To find out more about EYFS 2017, talk to your key worker. The Department of Education website has copies of the statutory and non-statutory framework for EYFS 2017 available for viewing.