The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a framework that sets standards for learning, development,
safeguarding and welfare for a child who is age birth to five years. This framework aims to make sure
those who are working with children within a setting provide them with quality and consistency, its
important that the practitioners provide this because it allows the children to make good progress and it
ensures that no child is left behind no matter what their development rate is. As well as this,
practitioners need to make sure they provide a secure foundation because throughout learning and
development opportunities which are planned beforehand are based on the child’s needs and interests
based on each individual child and are reviewed regularly. Partnership working is important within a
setting because when a practitioner and a parent/carer work together and discuss the child’s learning
and development, it’s going to help the child to learn more knowledge at home as well as school.
Another thing that is important is equality of opportunity, this is because you must make sure that every
child is included and supported during playing activities.
This framework was first introduced in 207 but it was made a statutory framework in 2008, the aim of
this framework is to improve the outcomes for children in an early years settings. However, this is
mandatory so there is legal requirements to make sure that the standards in the framework is met. The
legal status of the EYFS is based on serval different pieces of legislation:
Children act 1989 and 2004
Data protection act 1998
Childcare act 2006
Safeguarding vulnerable groups act 2006
It has been a legal requirement for all early years providers in maintained schools and non-
maintained schools or independent schools to implement the EYFS, as well as ofsted’s early years
register, this includes childminders and other childcare providers. Furthermore, settings that provide
care for children under 5, such as centres who offer holiday care, do not need to meet all of the
learning and development requirements. But, they do have to be guided by the EYFS standards as
well as being encouraged to think about how they can compliment the learning that the children will
gain where they spend most of their time.
The overall structure of the early years foundation stage is designed as a framework for practitioners
who work with children under 5 years to follow. Whatever curriculum is used, the setting must meet the
standards for the children’s development, learning and care. The EYFS is divided into three sections
which are:
Overall structure:
The overall structure of the EYFS is designed as a framework for practitioners working with children
under 5 to follow. Whichever curriculum is used, the setting must meet the standards for children’s
development, learning and care.
The eyfs is divided into 3 sections:
Learning and development requirements
, Assessment
Safeguarding and welfare requirements
The EYFS outlines how children will learn and develop skills depending on their age- although children
develop at different rates, for example if a child is not yet walking at 14 months, then it is not an
immediate concern. The statutory framework covers the education as well as care of all children in early
years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities. The children within
the setting are expected to learn skills, acquire knowledge and show their understanding through the
seven areas of learning and development:
Three prime areas:
Communication and language
Physical development
Personal, social and emotional development
Four specific areas:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design
When the learning areas have been taught to the children expressed within activities, there is an early
learning goal. Practitioners and other childcare members have an expectancy that children should meet
this learning goal by the end of their reception year, however practitioners will need to consider that
children learn at different rates and learn in different ways as well. When teaching the children the areas
of learning, there are some characteristics of learning that are appropriate to use:
Playing and exploring
Active learning
Creating and thinking critically
All of these characteristics should be reflected in all areas of your assessment, observation and planning.
Assessment:
The EYFS identifies how important assessments are as part of the planning cycle, this is so that
practitioners can meet every child’s needs and plan appropriate activities that all children can
participate in. There are two assessments that the EYFS covers which are formative assessments and
summative assessments. The formative assessment are made using the early years outcomes which are
outlined within the seven areas of learning (prime and specific areas). Children will be assessed at two
points during the EYFS: the first assessment will be between 24 and 36 months this will be their progress
check, this assessment helps to show practitioners and ofted where the child’s learning has developed
and what methods have helped them as well. The second assessment will be at the ned of the academic
year when the child turns 5, this will be the EYFS profile.
Safeguarding and welfare requirements:
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