Curriculum

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old. All schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers must follow the EYFS, including childminders, preschools, nurseries and school reception classes.
Seven areas of learning shape the curriculum, these are separated into 3 Prime and 4 Specific Areas of Learning.
The Prime Areas of Learning are deemed to be ‘time specific’ and are the foundation stone upon which future learning is securely built – they are pivotal in a child’s development.

  • Communication and language
  • Physical development
  • Personal, social and emotional development

 

The specific areas of learning include:

  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Expressive Arts and Design
  • Understanding the World.  Changes were made to the ‘Development Matters’ statements within the age bands and the Early Learning Goals – significant changes were made regarding the end of year expectations, particularly within Literacy and Mathematics.

 

Planning

We have a two year cycle of structured themes and topics which we know engage and motivate the children, every month our thorough and detailed planning provides daily activities, tasks, gmaes and experiences to ensure each child develops, learns at an age appropriate level in their own learning style.

Each child in our care has daily 1 to 1 time with a familiar adult, who provides a balance of adult led, adult initiated and child initiated tasks fulfilling the requirements of the Foundation Curriculum.

Tapestry

At Happy Hares and Lovacott we use TAPESTRY, an online learning journal for all the day care children in the setting. The general feedback from our parents/carers who have experienced using this system is overwhelmingly positive as they are able to ‘check in’ and read about, see pictures of their children’s play, wellbeing and engagement throughout the day. We create individual TAPESTRY accounts for all of your children and regularly record observations we have made; these are added directly onto the mobile app and then linked into your child’s Personal Profile. These observations can include notes, photographs, EYFS assessments, characteristics of effective learning and even videos. Parents/carers can comment on new entries and even add their own. You will always be able to access what your child has been doing at nursery and you will receive automatic emails generated for parents/carers when new entries are made. These records will also help us to make assessments of your child to ensure their learning and development is being met correctly.