Areas of Learning | herne-bay

How We Support Development and Learning:

Children begin learning about the world from the moment they are born. At Briary Pre-School, we continue this journey through engaging activities that are tailored to each child’s age and stage of development.

Our programmes are based on the seven areas of learning and development outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Three prime areas are particularly important for building curiosity, relationships, and a love of learning:

Communication and Language – Encouraging children to express themselves, listen, and develop confidence in a rich language environment.
Physical Development – Supporting active play, coordination, movement, and healthy choices.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development – Helping children develop positive relationships, social skills, confidence, and an understanding of appropriate behaviour.

We also focus on four specific areas to support learning as children grow:

Literacy – Linking sounds and letters, exploring reading and writing, and enjoying a range of books and materials.
Mathematics – Developing counting, number skills, simple calculations, and understanding shapes, space, and measures.
Understanding the World – Exploring the community, environment, people, and technology.
Expressive Arts and Design – Experimenting with art, music, movement, role-play, and design to express ideas and feelings.

All children are observed and supported across these seven areas, with a particular focus on the prime areas for our youngest learners.

Our Approach to Learning, Development and Assessment

Learning Through Play

Children learn best through play, exploring and experimenting in ways that spark curiosity and thinking. At Briary Pre-School, we use the EYFS framework to provide a mix of child-led and adult-led activities, ensuring every child can make progress across all areas of learning.

Assessment

We observe and document children’s progress using notes, photos, and recordings. Parents are encouraged to share information about their child’s interests at home. Twice a year, and at transitions like starting school, we summarise each child’s progress and share this at parents’ evenings through our progress tracker.

Well-being and Involvement

We monitor each child’s well-being and engagement three times a year using a simple traffic-light system. Actions are put in place to support children who need extra help settling in, ensuring they feel safe, confident, and happy.

Working Together

We maintain EYFS adult-to-child ratios, supported by staff and students, so each child receives attention, encouragement, and safe opportunities to explore and try new things.

Families and Key Person

Partnerships with families are central to a child’s early development. Home visits and regular communication help us understand your child’s needs. Each child has a dedicated key person to support their care, learning, and transition into the setting, building strong relationships with both children and parents.

How We Support Development and Learning:

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