The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a foundation for early childhood education in the UK. The EYFS sets the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to age five, encompassing nursery, preschool and reception classes. It guarantees that every child has the best start in life, preparing them for learning in the future, as well as for the best of their abilities in school.
What is the EYFS?
The EYFS is a statutory framework developed by the UK government related to the Childcare Act 2006, which is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect contemporary research in child development. The EYFS applies to all early years providers in the UK – nurseries, childminders, preschools, and reception in primary schools.
The primary aim of the EYFS is to encourage high-quality early education and care, following a holistic approach that allows for play, exploration, and planned learning. It aims to promote the development of the whole child—cognitive, social, emotional, and physical.
Four Guiding Principles of the EYFS
The EYFS is based upon four guiding principles, which inform how early education is provided:
- Every Child Is Unique – Each child is born with their own character, individual abilities, and their own preferences when it comes to learning, the EYFS allows practitioners to tailor their interactions to account for each child’s personal characteristics and preferences.
- Positive Relationships – Children learn very well from reliable and trusting relationships with parents, practitioners, and peers.
- Enabling Environments – A rich, safe, and stimulating learning environment will support children’s exploration, play and learning in order to build confidence.
- Learning And Development – Learning should not just be enjoyable, but meaningful. Play should be central to all learning activities, and the activities should support key and significant learning milestones.
The 7 Learning and Development Areas
The EYFS recognizes seven learning areas that are central to children’s development. These are shown as prime and specific areas:
Prime Areas (focus on early development)
- Communication and Language (enabling children to listen, understand and speak in a range of situations).
- Physical Development (creating opportunities to develop gross and fine motor skills, coordination and understanding of health and self-care).
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development (enabling children to have confidence and self-awareness, as well as manage their feelings and establish friendships).
Specific Domains (extending learning)
- Literacy – Supporting children’s learning of pre-reading skills, story and early writing.
- Math – Supporting children’s learning of basic number recognition, counting, and problems.
- Understanding the World – Supporting children in exploring the world, technology, and cultures.
- Expressive Arts and Design – Supporting children in being creative through art, music, movement, and imaginative play.
We will observe and document each child’s learning and progress in these areas to ensure their learning is balanced and they are ready for school.
Evaluation in the Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage contains two primary assessments:
- Progress Check at Age Two: Early years practitioners go through a child’s development and share this with parents in order to identify early any support needs.
- EYFS Profile (at the end of Reception): This summarises a child’s achievements against the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) and will be shared with parents and the child’s next teacher so that transition between Key Stage 1 can be smooth.
Assessments are meant to be observational and informal, so a child can show their learning naturally through play and conversation.
The Importance of Parents and Caregivers
The role of parents is important when considering the EYFS framework. When parents and caregivers can partner with the school, learning experiences become more consistent, and it is common for schools and nurseries to be in contact with home to share ideas for activities and reading and provide developmental updates to help parents and caregivers provide supporting learning experiences in the home environment.
The Importance of EYFS
EYFS is a flexible and structured framework for helping children develop confidence, curiosity, and communication skills – the vital building blocks for lifelong learning. EYFS ensures children from all backgrounds and abilities are supported to reach their full potential.
In summary, EYFS is more than a curriculum – it is the commitment to ensure that every young child in the UK has the best possible start in life. EYFS supports the foundation for happy, healthy and successful learners by bringing together a blend of play, care and structured learning.