The Foundation Stage in detail |
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What happens in Nursery at 3?
The Foundation Stage prepares children for learning in Key Stage 1 and is consistent with the National Curriculum. The Early Learning Goals set high expectations for the end of the Foundation Stage, but expectations that are achievable for most children who have followed a relevant curriculum. |
Within the Foundation Stage of learning there are stepping stones. These are coloured for ease of use and for clarity. Most children in “Nursery” will be mature enough at the age of two to achieve the Yellow stepping stones. These are basic maturity stages such as talking, walking, toilet training, co-operation, knowing the start of counting and one-to-one communication. Nursery schools give children the opportunity to learn to play together, to learn from each other and to have the experience of sharing, taking turns and even eating together and being separated from parents and loved ones.
(“Nursery” in this article refers to children from the age of 2 up to the age of 4) |
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Children playing in Nursery enjoy painting, construction toys, sharing, imaginative play, physical play, books, music and interaction with each other and their carers. Through all of these, they learn and as they play the carers carry out observations of their behaviour and interaction. |
| This, along with any paintings, question and attitudes allow the practitioners to ensure that the child is making progress. Some children will be more advanced than others as they all vary from stage to stage. This is not anything to worry about as even babies cut teeth at different times, crawl at varying ages and begin to talk when they are ready. |
| The QCA document provided by the DfES called ‘Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage’ provides the curriculum used by all practitioners. Most Nursery schools organise their planning and teaching to ensure that all six areas are covered |
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| Each child is thereby able to develop to his/her full potential. The children could quite easily be on different stepping stones for each area of learning according to their strengths and maturity. The observation and the evidence have to be collated to support the findings and decisions of the carers. The Nursery staff collate the results under the Six areas of learning at the end of each Academic year. These are called Profile summaries and after Nursery they are handed to the Reception teacher along with the observations, comments and progress report of the child.
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What happens in Reception at 4?
The Foundation Stage continues into the Reception Year, and records are kept throughout the year. The results in this booklet are collated and copies of the profiles used to record each child’s progress and maturity are sent to the Form 1 teachers. |
| This indicates the progress of the child and when they are ready to start Key Stage 1. |
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Foundation Stage Profile booklet
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Assessment for the Foundation Stage |
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The Early Years Foundation Stage |
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| The Six Areas of Learning are sub-divided into 13 scales. |
1. Personal, social and emotional development
1. Disposition and attitudes
2. Social development
3. Emotional development
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2. Communication, language and literature
1. Language for communication and thinking
2. Linking sounds and letters
3. Reading
4. Writing |
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3. Mathematical development
1. Numbers as labels and for counting
2. Calculating
3. Space, shape and measure |
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4. Knowledge and understanding of the world |
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5. Physical development |
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6. Creative development |
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Each of these 13 scales are further divided into nine assessment strands. Follow this link to see these.
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Year |
Term |
Colour |
Reception year
(Final year in the Foundation stage) |
Autumn |
Red/pink |
Spring |
Blue/pale blue |
Summer |
Green/pale green |
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Suggested colours |
Younger children in the Foundation Stage
(not in the Reception year) |
Autumn |
Orange |
Spring |
Purple/lilac |
Summer |
Yellow |
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At the end of the Reception Year, your child's teacher will complete a profile summary (against the 13 scales) for each child reaching the end of the Foundation Stage. This is the only requirement. This link will show you an example of the Profile. Foundation Stage Profile
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This completes the Foundation Stage of learning for children and they are now ready for Key Stage 1.
Further information
Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority copyright material is reproduced under the terms of HMSO Guidance Note 8.
Foundation Stage policy
Early Years Foundation Stage
For further information, please visit QCA Foundation Stage. Children in Wales , Northern Ireland and Scotland also have Foundation Stage but parents should check on the link below to ascertain any differences:
www.commonpurpose.org.uk/home
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