What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a new national framework for children aged from birth to five. It was introduced across the country in September 2008 and covers the stage of a child's development from birth to the end of their first (Reception) year in school.
The EYFS framework describes how early years practitioners should work with children and their families to support their development and learning.
It describes how your child should be kept safe and cared for and how all concerned can make sure that your child achieves the most that they can in their earliest years of life.
It is based on four important principles:
- Theme: A Unique Child
Principle: Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured
- Theme: Positive Relationships
Principle: Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.
- Theme: Enabling Environments
Principle: The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
- Theme: Learning and Development
Principle: Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and interconnected.
What can parents and carers do?
Parents and carers are their children’s first teachers. When they are with you, learning can happen at any time and anywhere, for example through:
- being generous with praise and cuddles
- reading things together
- playing games, singing nursery rhymes
- talking about what you can see in the park or on the street
- counting the stairs as you go up and down
The Early Years Foundation Stage was introduced across the country in September 2008. Ask at your child’s setting or school for more details.
Training for practitioners about the EYFS is currently being provided across the borough.
