Foundation Stage education

What is the Foundation Stage?
It's for children aged 3 - 5 and covers the years they spend from the beginning of nursery class or pre-school to the end of reception class in primary school. It was introduced in September 2000.

What will my child learn?
The Foundation Stage Curriculum consists of six areas of learning. Each one contains a number of 'Early Learning Goals' which set out what most children are expected to achieve by the end of the Foundation Stage, and  "stepping stones" which help show children's progress towards the goals.

What are the Learning  Areas?

Communication, Language and Literacy
Language development is crucial to living and learning as children's confidence is strongly linked to their ability in language skills. These skills can be developed through speaking with and listening to adults and peers, communicating thoughts and feelings, engaging in musical activities, linking letters to sounds, seeing and using familiar words and watching adults write. Listening and communication will continue to develop as children talk and play with adults and other children in a variety of situations. Gradually, your child will learn to hear and say sounds and begin to link the spoken word to the written word. Through fun activities, they will learn how to control a pencil and to read and write some familiar words

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
This goal will help your child learn to be self-confident, take an interest in things, know what their needs are, tell the difference between right and wrong, and be able to dress and undress. 
This goal aims to develop a child's confidence through various methods such as: building positive relationships with other children, developing a sense of independence, working and playing in varying group sizes. It aims to help children develop awareness and acceptance of different religious and cultural beliefs and use of positive images in books and displays. It also aims to help children develop their skills through play activities; stories, rhymes, music and drama; the environment and personal health and hygiene.

Mathematical development
Your child will begin to develop an understanding of maths through stories, songs, games and imaginative play. They will become comfortable with numbers and with ideas such as 'heavier than' or 'bigger' and they will be aware of shape and space.

Knowledge & Understanding of the World
 Your child will explore the world around them and to ask questions about it. They will build with different materials, know about everyday technology and learn what it is used for. They will find out about past events in their lives and their families' lives, and find out about different cultures and beliefs.

Physical Development
Your child will learn to move confidently, control their body and handle equipment. The will be offered appropriate physical activities, with sufficient time and space. Coordination skills, such as hand-eye coordination, are encouraged.

Creative development
Creative and imaginative play encourages emotional development and self-expression. Your child will explore colours and shapes, experiment with dance, making things, telling stories and making music. This goal covers areas such as, art, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play. 

Will the goals put pressure on my child?
No, most of the time, children feel they are just playing and having fun. The preschool or school staff will provide a selection of appropriate activities, and the children will choose what they want to do. The staff plan the activities based on the early learning goals and with the current interests and abilities of the children present in mind.  Sometimes the activities will be set with an obvious goal, like practising physical skills like using scissors or gluing, or learning new songs and rhymes to develop children's awareness of sounds and letters. Other times they will appear to be purely for fun - like washing the dolls' clothes, but this helps develop physical skills, and gives the opportunity to communicate and co-operate with others, and to discover the properties of water and detergent.

Will my child be tested at the end of the Foundation stage?
There is an assessment made of each child at the end of the Foundation Stage (that is, at the end of the Reception Class) called the Foundation Stage Profile.

What is the Foundation Stage Profile?
This is a national scheme to help teachers to record observations and to summarise each child's achievements by the end of the Foundation Stage. It is based on Early Learning Goals and all six areas of learning. The teacher makes recordings throughout the year and they do not set special assessment activities.

How can my child receive this curriculum?
Once your child is 3, they are entitled to receive free sessions at a setting offering the Foundation Stage Curriculum. (See Early Education for 3 and 4 year old children) Funded places are available in day nurseries, pre-schools (playgroups), maintained (state) school nursery and reception classes, and with accredited childminders in approved Childminding Networks.