The first few years of children’s education are fundamental. This is the stage when it is a priority for children to develop positive associations with learning. As their first experience of education, the foundation built at nursery will impact the rest of a child’s life. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, in accordance with the British National curriculum is renowned as one of the leading curriculums for young children. EYFS sets the UK national standards for the learning and development areas for children up to 5 years old with great emphasis placed upon delivering a broad and balanced curriculum. In this article we outline the 7 areas of learning and development in the EYFS framework.
The Areas of Learning and Development
Children should first develop in the 3 prime areas as these are essential for healthy development and future learning. These areas ensure that children establish a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and understanding upon which they can build throughout their lives.
1. Communication and Language It is important to create an environment for young children to express themselves as this allows them to develop their language and communication skills.
2. Physical Development Children love to be active and to help their physical development, it is vital to provide them with the time, space and tools to do so. Facilities such as outdoor playgrounds with suitable equipment enhance their physical development. Great nurseries will also feature sport-related facilities like bike tracks and swimming pools. All of the Emirates British Nurseries in Dubai have playgrounds with age-appropriate equipment to support the children’s physical development. Have a look at the EBN facilities.
3. Personal, Social and Emotional Development One of the major benefits of children attending nursery is the social interaction they get with other children their own age. Learning social skills, developing an early understanding of emotions and collaborating with others are imperative skills which will be beneficial in most situations throughout life. The next four areas of learning and development are more specific.
4. Literacy In this area of learning, children begin to discover phonemic awareness which is the ability to hear and identify different words and sounds. This is the area where children also start to learn how to read and write.
5. Mathematics Children are supported in being able to describe shapes, spaces and measures as well as guided in developing skills with numbers and calculations.
6. Understanding the World This is the beginning stage of when children start to make sense of things through observation and exploration.
7. Expressive Arts and Design Imagination is an essential component of childhood and helps children learn many lifelong lessons. In this area of learning, creative activities like painting, drawing, music and technology give children the opportunity to learn new things, express themselves and develop their creativity.
Final Thoughts: 4 Guiding Principles of EYFS
The 7 areas of learning and development are implemented in accordance with the 4 guiding principles of EYFS. These principles reinforce that every child is unique, every child can learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships, that children learn and develop best in enabling environments and that children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. At EBN we follow this Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework to ensure that all the children gain an enriching and positive first experience of learning and education. Our vision is to be the premier provider of pre-school education and childcare in the UAE and to set quality standards and excellence in the teaching development and care of young children. Find out more about the EBN Curriculum here.
