Early Years Foundation Stage
Every Child a Talker
Free Nursery (Early Education) places for all 3 and 4 year olds
Wolverhampton Working for Excellence (QISP)
The Early Years Foundation Stage(EYFS) brings together: Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation stage(2000), the Birth to Three Matters(2002) framework and the National Standards for under 8s Daycare and Childminding (2003), building a coherent and flexible approach to care and learning. All providers are required to use the EYFS to ensure whatever setting parents choose, they can be confident that their child will receive a quality experience that supports their development and learning.
The EYFS is based upon principles of inclusion which means that early years providers oppose discrimination and prejudice and welcome all families and children. They provide care and education for a wide range of children in environments that enable children to feel safe and supported and which extends their learning and development.
Throughout the EYFS, stress is placed upon understanding each child and their family as unique, with different needs and concerns. Children’s development is presented under six overlapping phases. This overlap is intended to emphasise the fact that there can be big differences between the development of children of similar ages. At the same time age can be a cue when taken with all other factors, to indicate that development may be atypical and that a child may need extra support.
The EYFS is based around four themes:
- A unique child
- Positive relationships
- Enabling environments
- Learning and development
Each theme is linked to an important principle:
A unique child
- Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self assured.
Positive relationships
- Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and /or a key person.
Enabling environments
- The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
Learning and development
- Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected.
Each Principle is supported by four Commitments which are shown on the poster which accompanies the CD-ROM. The Commitments describe how the Principles can be put into practice.
The Principles and their associated Commitments can also be found in the Principles into Practice section on this CD-ROM and on the Principles into Practice cards in the EYFS package.
For more information on the foundation stage:
The Early Years: Foundations for life, health and learning.
An Independent Report of the Early Years Foundation Stage to Her Majesty’s Government by Dame Clare Tickell. (31st March 2011)
Click here to access the report. Find the Summary or recommendations in Annex 2 (Page 56)
Or call the Foundation Stage Team at Wolverhampton on 01902 555894