Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. At Little Thetford Acorns, we follow the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS); the framework that sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.

 

The EYFS seeks to provide:

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• quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind

• a secure foundation through planning for the learning and development of each individual child, and assessing and reviewing what they have learned regularly

• partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers

• equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported

 

The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.

 

The learning and development requirements cover:

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• the areas of learning and development which must shape activities and experiences (educational programmes) for children in all early years settings

• the early learning goals that providers must help children work towards (the knowledge, skills and understanding children should have at the end of the academic year in which they turn five)

• assessment arrangements for measuring progress (and requirements for reporting to parents and/or carers) 

 

Overarching principles:

 

Four guiding principles should shape practice in early years settings:

• every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured

• children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships

• children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers.

• importance of learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates.

 

The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A copy of the EYFS Framework is available here: Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (publishing.service.gov.uk)

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