EYFS Explained...
09/01/2025
EYFS stands for Early Years Foundation Stage. Simply put, it is a guideline that sets standards of learning for children between the ages of 0-5. The idea is to give children a strong foundation before they start school, both through what they learn and how they learn.
The EYFS has 7 areas of learning, each with their own Early Learning Goals (ELGs). These are:
Communication and Language (ELGs: Listening, Attention and Understanding, Speaking)
Personal, Social and Emotional Development (ELGs: Self-Regulation, Managing Self, Building Relationships)
Physical Development (ELGs: Gross Motor Skills, Fine Motor Skills)
Literacy (ELGs: Comprehension, Word Reading, Writing)
Mathematics (ELGs: Number, Numerical Patterns)
Understanding the World (ELGs: Past and Present, People, Culture and Communities, The Natural World)
Expressive Arts and Design (ELGs: Creating with Materials, Being Imaginative and Expressive)
At Pippa’s Poppets, we proudly create our curriculum and all our lesson plans following EYFS guidelines. We aim to not only be an opportunity for children to engage with the arts, and use their imaginations, but to build on the other 6 areas of learning as well.
In our lessons, children have the chance to story tell through music and drama, adding new keywords to their vocabulary. Each week, we use songs on different and exciting themes to help them better understand the world, from being a good friend to various cultural celebrations. In our preschool classes, children are encouraged to come up with and communicate imaginative ideas and form opinions on what they learn, as well as listen to the ideas and opinions of others.
Toddlers absolutely love our specially written movement songs, as they are able to develop their gross motor skills through dancing and following actions. The use of props and instruments is particularly engaging for babies, and aids the development of their fine motor skills. As they get older, hand-eye coordination is linked to early literacy, and learning rhythms encourages children to count and look for patterns.
Through seeing them each week, children develop a warm and supportive relationship with their Pippa’s Poppets teacher. This allows them to comfortably express and manage their emotions, and grow in confidence each week as they achieve their goals. We also encourage an understanding of their own feelings and those of others through song, which can be a more fun and memorable way of learning.
Click here to enquire about a free trial in your nursery.
For a more indepth look at the EYFS, please visit Early years foundation stage statutory framework - GOV.UK where you can read the full framework for group and school-based providers.
You can learn more about early years learning, including some interesting case studies here: The Early Years: Foundations for life, health and learning