These pages will be updated and added to on a regular basis, so please do visit again.

Principles of the Foundation Stage

• Learning through well planned play- adult led and child initiated

• The learning environment should be rich, stimulating, well planned and organised

• Practitioners who understand how children learn and progress

• Appropriate intervention and support to enhance the children's learning, based on what the children can do and know

• Every aspect of learning is inter-related/ cross-curricular

• All children should feel included, secure and valued

• Good relationship with parents

• Communication, Language and Literacy

  Effective development and learning in communication, language and literacy.

• Creative Development

  Creativity is fundamental to successful learning. Being creative enables children to make connections between one area of learning and another and so extend their understanding.

• Environment

  Observing, assessing and planning are so much easier if the environment is well organised for easy access to resources and learning areas.

• Knowledge and Understanding of the World

  'Practitioners must support children's development of the crucial knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world.'

• Mathematical development

  Suggestions to give all children the best opportunities for effective mathematical development.

• Observation, assessment and planning

  The Dorset Early Years Team has produced some documentation and planning formats which may support your provision.

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

  Providing experiences and support to enable children to develop a positive sense of themselves and of others.

• Physical development

  Guidance and resources for effective physical development in the Early Years

• The importance of play

  Young children need play to be able to learn.

• Schemas

  Children do not all learn in the same way. As practitioners of young children it is good practice to be aware of the ways different children learn.