Foundation Stage
2 – 5 Years

Gower House School follows Birth to Three Matters and The Foundation Stage for two to five year olds. These are the first part of the National Curriculum for the Under Fives.

However, Gower House offers “Foundation Stage Plus” which extends the curriculum to give the additional emphasis on reading, mathematics and French required by an independent school with high academic standards.

What is the Foundation Stage?

The Foundation Stage is the first stage of the National Curriculum focusing on the distinct needs of children aged 3 to the end of the reception year in primary school.

Foundation Stage learning has six learning areas.

These are:

Personal, social and emotional development
Communication, language and literacy.
Mathematical development.
Knowledge and understanding of the world
Physical development and
Creative development.

Each learning area has early learning goals. These set out the skills, understanding, knowledge and attitudes which it is hoped children will reach or exceed by the end of the Foundation Stage. Children will be at different stages of progress towards these goals depending on their age and stage of development. Stepping stones describe children’s typical progress towards these goals from age three to the end of the Foundation Stage. Of course children are individual and not all will fit into this typical pattern of progress. Staff understand this and take into account when planning activities and experiences.

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This period of life is really important both in its own right but also in preparing children for later learning. From the age of three to five, children grow, develop and learn rapidly. Most children go through the same stages but each child is different. They chose their friends and develop their own preferred ways of learning.

Children aged three, four and five are constantly encountering new experiences which they try to understand. As they do so they explore the world around them, ask questions, extend their skills, develop their confidence and build on what they already know. Well planned play is central to children’s learning in the Foundation Stage. That way learning is both challenging and fun.

The indoor and outdoor classrooms are organised to give children plenty of space to move around, to work on the floor and on tabletops, individually and in smaller and larger groups. Resources are well organised and labelled so that children know where to find what they need and can be independent. This means adults can spend more time joining in with children’s learning, extending their language and thinking and helping them to make progress. The role of the adult is crucial in supporting children’s learning through planned play and extending and developing children’s spontaneous play. Through this supported play children can explore, develop, and use their curiosity and imagination to help them make sense of the world in a secure environment. They practice skills, build up ideas and concepts, think creatively and imaginatively and communicate with others as they investigate and solve problems.

Adults working in the Foundation Stage plan a wide range of opportunities for children to learn both indoors and outdoors. What they plan should be based on what children already know about and can do. It should recognise children’s different interests and needs. Sometimes they will plan time and resources for children to initiate and develop their own learning. Both are important. Both provide opportunities for children to learn to work together and share resources and attention of adults.

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Although the Foundation Stage curriculum is organised in six areas of learning , one experience may help develop a number of competences, skills and concepts across several of these areas. For example, in hospital role-play social, physical, language and literacy skills can be developed. This role-play also gives children the opportunity to learn more about different people in the world around them and be prepared for new experiences. Staff will ensure that every child engages in a wide enough range of activities so that all six areas of learning are covered in the course of time.

Where parents and early years settings work closely together children do better. Parents are their children’s first and enduring educators and understand their children better than anyone else. By sharing information about their children’s interests, strengths and needs parents help the adults who work with them to plan experiences and activities that will capture their interests and fire their imagination and enthusiasm. This helps children to make good progress in their learning. By talking about what they plan to do and sharing their observations of children with their parents, the adults who work with them can help parents better to build on this at home in ways that are fun. This is done through written information and talking with parents.

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