In York, all 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to five free 2.5 hour sessions of early years provision per week. In addition, Dringhouses Early Years Partnership offers 'wrap-around' care between the hours of 8.00am and 6.00pm. The partnership benefits from a trained SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) and all the settings are accessible for children with disabilities. The members of our partnership are St Edward's Playgroup, The Wendy House Children's Day Nursery, West Thorpe Pre-School Playgroup, Dringhouses Out of School Club and Dringhouses Primary School.

This website has been produced by the members of the partnership to provide information to parents on the Foundation Stage of Learning.  It describes the services and  facilities the partners offer in the Dringhouses area.

The Foundation Stage

This is the period of education for children aged from 3 to 5 years. The last year of the Foundation Stage is often called the reception year as many children join a school reception class during that time. The Foundation Stage is important because it gives children secure foundations for later learning, in school and beyond. It is a distinct stage with its own early learning goals. This sound basis prepares them for work on the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1 in primary school.

Learning Through Play

During the Foundation Stage children learn through experiences that are suitable for their development. Play is the key to the way young children learn. Through play children learn many skills, for example, the confidence needed for learning; the social skills needed for personal development; the skills needed for writing. In this way a child becomes more independent and able to tackle simple problems.

Areas of Development in Young Children

The six main areas of development in the early years are:
- PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
- COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
- MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
- KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
- PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
- CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

During the Foundation Stage all these areas of learning are introduced in suitable ways for young children, often through play. Each of the six areas has its own Early Learning Goals preceded by three 'stepping stones'. Each child builds on existing skills, continuing to learn at the appropriate level.

(More information on the early learning goals can be found on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) web site www.qca.org.uk)