Early Years is the first Key Stage in a child’s education. At Laurel Avenue it begins with our Nursery 2-year-olds, includes Nursery 3 and 4-year-olds and is completed by the 4 and 5-year-olds in our Reception class (Class 1). This early stage of learning is vital to children's development and equips then with skills they will need to succeed in their future school life.

Children are individuals, who develop at different rates and have different interests. We take time to get to know your child and our topics take account of the things that interest them.

The curriculum in Early Years is based around play-based learning. There is a balance between adult-led activities and child-directed play. The well-planned environment gives children opportunities to learn and practise skills in a variety of ways. Environments are progressive form the two-year-old area through to Reception class to meet the changing needs of children as they develop.

Our curriculum is built on Development Matters (a government document) and the Chris Quigley Essentials curriculum. As staff work with children they constantly assess their development and progress, and children who need extra support in particular areas are quickly identified. All learning is planned with our individual children’s needs in mind.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) comprises three prime areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Children develop their friendships and learn to share and help one another. They begin to understand their feelings and learn how to be healthy.

Physical Development

Children develop many different movements, including developing good fine motor skills, which are important for writing.

Communication and Language

These areas usually develop first, and success in these areas leads to children gaining skills in the four specific areas

Literacy

Mathematics

Children learn about numbers, shapes and measuring, and how to use their skills to solve problems.

Understanding the World

Children learn about the world around them, including nature, their local area, different people and ways of life.

Expressive Arts and Design

Children learn to express their ideas through art, making models, taking part in music and dance, and in imaginative role play.

No matter which area they are working in children are constantly developing:

* social skills - learning to form friendships, share and cooperate

* communication skills - learning to express their needs and opinions, listen to others and understand the language around them

* physical skills - learning to control movement and manipulate equipment.

Our curriculum also supports the “Characteristics of effective learning” which are part of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.

They are

*Playing and exploring

 *Active learning

*Creating and thinking critically