The Early Years Foundation Stage (E.Y.F.S.) is the stage of education for children from birth to the end of the Hachana year.
It is based on the recognition that children learn best through play and active learning.
The EYFS has 4 themes. These are:
- Unique Child
- Positive Relationships
- Enabling Environments
- Learning and Development
Areas of Learning and Development in the EYFS
There are seven areas of learning and development that shape the Early Year’s Curriculum in Hachana. Children will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through these 7 areas of learning and development. They include 3 prime areas and 4 specific areas, each of these areas are then also divided into 2-3 aspects.
Prime areas
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Making relationships
- Self-confidence and self-awareness
- Managing feelings and behaviour
- Physical Development
- Moving and handling
- Health and self-care
Communication and Language
- Listening and attention
- Understanding
- Speaking
Specific areas
Literacy
- Reading
- Writing
Mathematics
- Numbers
- Shape, space and measure
Understanding the World
- People and communities
- The world
- Technology
Expressive Arts and Design
- Being imaginative
- Exploring and using media
Our Hachana year constitutes a distinctive phase of the children’s education. We give the children time to adapt to their class by bringing them into school gradually over a short period of time. We find that this gives them the necessary time to adjust to the many social, physical, emotional and intellectual demands.
In the EYFS learning is an integrated process. Children are provided with a balance of child initiated and adult led experiences. First hand experiences and play provide meaningful contexts for learning both inside the classroom and outdoors. This type of learning persists throughout the school with the necessary ‘stepping up’ to new challenges that is required as the children move through the school.
For more information and ideas for supporting your child please download our handbook below.
Transition to Key Stage 1
The transition from Early Years to Key Stage 1 is a smooth and well organised process, so when children begin Year 1 their teachers know exactly how to challenge and develop their learning.
Hachana children will have had the opportunity to go to the Kitta Aleph class and meet their teacher.
The Kitta Aleph curriculum builds upon and extends the experiences that children have had in Hachana. Learning through play will continue and be an important part of the school day, with some more formal learning approaches being applied as the year goes on.