Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Every child deserves the best possible start in life and support
to fulfil their potential. A child’s experience in the early years
has a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and
happy childhood is important as it provides the foundation for
children to make the most of their abilities and talents as they
grow up.
The aim of the Early Years Foundation Stage is to help young
children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes of staying
safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive
contribution and achieving economic well-being. Learning and
development is planned around the individual needs and interests of
the child to give children the best possible start in life and
informed by the use of ongoing observational assessment.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles are
- a unique child
- positive relationships
- enabling environments
- learning and development
The EYFS sets standards to enable practitioners to reflect the
rich and personalised experience that many parents give their
children at home. Practitioners have a responsibility to ensure
positive attitudes to diversity and difference not only so that
every child is included and not disadvantaged, but also so that
they learn from the earliest age to value diversity in others and
grow up making a positive contribution to society.
The principle of learning and development is divided into 6
areas of learning:
- personal, social and emotional development
- communication, language and literacy
- problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
- knowledge and understanding of the world
- physical development
- creative development.
None of these areas can be delivered in isolation from the
others. They support a rounded approach to child development.