Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to 5 years old. All Ofsted-registered providers must follow the EYFS.
The framework supports an integrated approach to early learning and care. It gives all professionals a set of common principles and commitments to deliver quality early education and childcare experiences to all children.
As well as being the core document for all professionals working in the foundation years, the EYFS framework gives mums and dads confidence that regardless of where they choose for their child’s early education, they can be assured that the same statutory commitments and principles will underpin their child’s learning and development experience.
The Early Years Foundation Stage compromises of 2 documents:
Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, and
Early Years Outcomes.
- Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage
AIM:
EYFS SEEKS TO PROVIDE:
- Quality and consistency
- Secure foundation
- Partnership working
- Equality of opportunity
EYFS SPECIFIES REQUIREMENTS FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND PROMOTING THEIR WELFARE.
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS COVER:
- Areas of learning and development which must shape activities and experiences (educational programmes-(planning))
- Early learning goals – skills children should have at the end of reception class (children at the age of 5 years)
- Assessment arrangements for measuring progress, and reporting to parents/carers
SAFEGUARDING AND WELFARE REQUIREMENTS COVER:
- Steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare
FOUR OVERARCHING-GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
- Unique child
- Positive relationships
- Enabling environments
- Children develop and learn indifferent ways and at different rates
SECTION 1 – LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS
SEVEN AREAS OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Educational programmes must involve activities and experiences for children in the following areas (the prime areas are to be focused on for youngest children)
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
The first three are the prime areas. they are important because they lay the foundations for children’s success in all other areas of learning and of life. These are followed by four specific areas which provide the range of experiences and opportunities for children to broaden their knowledge and skills.
- Practitioners must consider children’s individual needs, interests and stage of development. This information must inform planning
- Practitioners must consider whether a child may have a special educational need or disability, if so to link relevant services from other agencies as appropriate.
- Providers must provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning, and support their language development at home. If the child does not have a strong gasp of English language then practitioners must explore the child’s skills in the home language to establish if there is a cause for concern about language delay
- Providers must ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language
- There must be a mix of adult led and child-initiated activities planned and purposeful
- In planning children’s activities, practitioners must reflect on the different ways that child learns using the ‘characteristics of effective teaching and learning’:
- Playing and exploring
- Active learning
- Creating and thinking critically
- Each child must be assigned a Key Person
SESCTION 2 – ASSESSMENT
- Practitioners should carryout on-going assessments such as regular observations
- Paperwork should be limited to that which is absolutely necessary to promote children’s learning and development
- Parents and carers to be kept updated about their child’s progress, and address any development needs in partnership with parents and carers and any relevant professionals
- PROGRESS CHECK AT AGE OF TWO:
- When a child is aged between 2 and 3, practitioners must review their progress and provide parents with a short written summary of their child’s development in the PRIME AREAS
- The review must identify any strengths and weaknesses with strategies to move the child on to the next stage of development
- If there are significant emerging concerns or an identified SEN or disability, practitioner should develop a plan to support the child’s learning involving other appropriate professionals such as SENCO
- Practitioners must discuss with parents how the summary can be used to support the child’s learning and development at home
SECTION 3 – SAFEGUARDING AND WELFARE REQUIREMENTS
- Providers must be alert to any issues for concern in the child’s life at home or elsewhere
- Providers must have and implemented a policy in line with local safeguarding children board procedures
- A practitioner must take lead responsibility (DSL)
- Providers must train all staff in safeguarding procedures
- Providers must inform Ofsted of any allegations of serious harm or abuse to a child within 14 days
- Providers to notify Ofsted of any allegations of harm or abuse within 14 days
SUITABLE PEOPLE
- Provider must ensure staff are suitable to fulfil their roles
- DBS’s must be carried out for anyone who will have any kind of contact with children
- Practitioners must disclose any kind of convictions
- Staff qualifications, identity checks, DBS, vetting processes must be recorded and retained on site – not in a separate building
DISQUALIFICATION
- If a practitioner becomes disqualified to work in the early years, the provider must not continue to employ that person
- Ofsted must be informed of any details of orders, convictions, court orders within 14 days
STAFF TAKING MEDICINE/OTHER SUBSTANCES
- Practitioners must not be under the influence of alcohol or any other substances whilst at work
STAFF QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING, SUPPORT AND SKILLS
- Providers must ensure that all staff receive induction training
- Providers must have supervision and appraisals in place for practitioners
- Practitioners must have suitable qualifications and relevant experience
- Providers must ensure that staff have paediatric first aid certificates
KEY PERSON
- Each child must be assigned a Key Person
STAFF: CHILD RATIOS
- Children must usually be within sight and hearing of staff and always within sight or hearing
- 0-2 years: 1:3
- 2-3 years: 1:4
- 3-5 years: 1:8 or 1:13 if EYTS/EYPS/QTS
HEALTH
- Medicines must only be administered to a child where written permission has be obtained for that particular medicine
- Food and drink must be healthy, balanced and nutritious
- Fresh drinking water must be available to children at all times
ACCIDENT OR INJURY
- Providers must keep a written record of accidents or injuries and first aid treatment
- Providers must notify Ofsted of any serious accident, illness, or injury to or death of any child, and action taken (within 14 days)
MANAGING BEHAVIOUR
- Providers must have and implement a behaviour management policy
- Providers must not give corporal punishment to children
SAFETY AND SUITABILITY OF PREMISES, ENVIRONMENT AND EQUIPMENT
- Providers must ensure premises are fit for purpose
- Premises must be clean, comply with health and safety regulations and secure
- Providers must ensure the safety of children, staff and others on premises in the case of fire or any other emergency
NO SMOKING POLICY
PREMISES
- Providers must provide access to an outdoor play area
- Providers must ensure that that there is an area where staff can talk to parents confidentially as well as an area for staff to take breaks away from children
- Must carry public liability insurance
INFORMATION AND RECORDS
- Providers must enable a regular two way flow of information with parents and carers.
COMPLAINTS
Providers must have a complaints procedure accessible to all parents
- EARLY YEARS OUTCOMES (formally known and Development Matters)
- Characteristics of effective teaching and learning move through all areas of learning
- The prime areas are fundamental, work together and move through to support development in all areas
- The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society. They grow out of the prime areas and provide important contexts for learning
HOW WE PLAN AND ASSESS AT NISHKAM NURSERY – OBSERVE, ASSESS, PLAN FOR NEXT STEPS
- We regularly observe children and assess their learning and development. we then use what we know to plan next steps individually.
- We have a Long-term plan
- We carry out Baseline assessments when children first start
- We carry out on-going formative assessment (daily observations) looking at children’s interests to form daily planning (we have a balances between adult led and child-initiated experiences)
- We use observations to get next steps for each child
- We use the next steps as planning for the child so it’s like a cycle (observe to next steps to planning, observe to next steps to planning, observe to next steps to planning, observe to next steps to planning, observe to next steps to planning, observe to next steps to planning and so on…)
- We carry out summative assessments at the end of each term to summarise learning (tracking children development using Early Years Outcomes)
- We carry out Progress checks at the age of 2 to 3 years
- Baby room planning with a focus on the EYFS prime areas of learning
- Toddler room and pre-school planning with a focus on the EYFS seven areas of learning
