Nursery World - Learning & Development Emotions: Life and death

The death of a much-loved pet guinea pig became a real learning opportunity for the Foundation Stage children at Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary School, as teacher Tessa Fenoughty explains.

Death as a learning theme figures rarely in early years settings' long-or medium-term planning. There is no direct reference to death and bereavement in the EYFS framework, though some of the early learning goals potentially cover the subject (see Links to Guidance).

So, when a much-loved class pet called Guinness the Guinea Pig died suddenly, we decided that we would use this real and relevant event as a learning opportunity to discuss life and death.

Some of the best learning opportunities in the EYFS are unplanned. Those that arise spontaneously, as a result of real events, often have the most powerful and profound impact on children's learning.

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