ELA Basel offers the highly regarded UK Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, external site). This curriculum sets the standards that ensure children learn and develop at an appropriate pace. It promotes personalised teaching and learning that prepares children for school giving them a broad range of knowledge, skills and learning experiences that provides a solid foundation for future progress through school and later life.
Book a visit and let us show you how it works in practice.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
The first five years are pivotal in your child’s life, setting the stage for their future well-being, happiness, development, and success in learning.
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, which sets the standard for how children from birth to five years old learn and develop.
Our curriculum is designed to build on what children already know and can do, giving them a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for future learning.
We provide activities that are suitable for each child's age and stage of development across seven areas promoting three prime areas and four specific areas. This carefully considers each child's readiness, interest and enabling them to learn at their own pace.
There are three prime areas, which support development in all the others:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
There are four specific areas of learning that impart essential skills and knowledge which children require to participate successfully in society:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Understanding of the World
- Literacy
- Mathematics
Each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities.
As the children get older, literacy activities intend to support more structured writing skills.
The Areas of Learning
Communication and Language
Recognising the importance of communication, we support children in unfamiliar situations, aiding them in expressing what they want and helping them to articulate their thoughts. We focus on expanding their vocabulary and polite interaction and encourage them to be creative through imaginative play.
Physical Development
Physical education is a crucial component of building lifelong healthy habits in early childhood. From the outset, we emphasise the importance of health and physical well-being through a range of stimulating activities. Children learn to move confidently, navigate spaces safely, and easily handle equipment and tools.
Understanding the World
At ELA Basel, we help children relate the world around them to their own experiences and encourage them to celebrate what makes them an individual. Through books, stories, activities and experiences, we help children make sense of their environment.
Expressive Arts & Design
Children learn through a range of experiences. Children in Early Years develop their imagination by experimenting with various tools and mediums. Music, movement, messy play and art activities encourage children in our care to explore and investigate the world around them.
Mathematics
Maths is made enjoyable to our children through fun and meaningful activities. We introduce concepts such as counting in double-digits and sequencing numbers, enhancing mathematical skills through playful learning.
Literacy
Our goal is to instil a love of reading from a young age. We have a diverse selection of books, blending fact with fiction and fun narratives with captivating illustrations. In Preschool, the use of phonics phases 1 and 2 helps the children form the correct sounds of letters and words.
Keeping a Record
All of our children have an online journal.
This builds a special record of each child’s experiences and journey through their early years, explicitly developed for EYFS. Using photos, videos and diary entries, ELA Basel and parents can weave the story of the child’s progress and development together.
The communication between staff and parents helps build a shared understanding of how every child can reach their full potential and allows parents to stay in touch with their child wherever they are.
Come and visit our ELA Basel Early Years setting. A warm welcome awaits!
Our staff and management team will be delighted to give you a tour of our campus, answer your questions, and discuss any aspect of our programme in detail.
Book a personal tour using the calendar below.
Virtual Tour
We look forward to seeing you in person, in the meantime take a virtual tour of our school.
Enquire
Arrange a personal tour or book a video meeting with the Head of Primary or Early Years.
Apply
We look forward to receiving your application to ELA Basel.