Early Years

The Curriculum for our youngest children is planned and assessed according to the criteria and targets set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS).

We are guided in our planning by the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage, a non-statutory guidance material which supports practitioners in implementing the statutory requirements of the EYFS. This states “The ways in which the child engages with other people and their environment – playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically – underpin learning and development across all areas and support the child to remain an effective and motivated learner”.

At Bettridge, we endorse and use these characteristics of effective learning in the EYFS. Play based learning is key to the whole process and a balance of adult led, child led and child initiated activities are integral to the development of our children.
We plan our Schemes of work using the three prime areas and four specific areas of learning and development and we use a topic based approach to ensure breadth of delivery. The Prime Areas underpin all learning and overlap with each other.
Aspects of the areas are taught through a variety of approaches, some being taught through daily routines, some taught discreetly and some through other areas of learning.

Prime Areas of Learning: