Characteristics of Effective Learning are part of the current Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. They reflect the different ways that children can learn, everyone is a unique learner! All children learn in different ways, a child’s individual learning characteristic will determine the way they respond to both the teaching and learning taking place in the environment. 

Three characteristics of effective teaching and learning identified by the EYFS are:

• playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’;
• active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements; and
• creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

At Beaconside, we use the Learning Friends to introduce the Characteristics of Effective Learning in a child friendly way. We have in-class mascots and encourage the children to try and identify which Learning Friend they are most like. The aim of this is to encourage the children to think about their learning in a positive way, build their growth mindset and resilience, embrace their uniqueness and have fun!