Early Year Foundation Stage (EYFS)
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 schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers must follow the EYFS, including childminders, preschools, nurseries and school reception classes.
Assessments
There are assessments when a child is aged between 2 and 3 years and at the end of the academic year when they turn 5. These are not tests for the child - the assessments are based on EYFS practitioners’ observations.
Information from these assessments is used for parents, practitioners and teachers to support children’s learning and development.
Early years’ learning concentrates on 7 areas split between prime and specific areas of learning.
The prime areas of learning are:
- communication and language
- physical development
- personal, social and emotional development
The specific areas of learning are:
- literacy
- mathematics
- understanding the world
- expressive arts and design
Teaching is often done through play, where the child learns about subjects and other people through games.
Early years foundation stage profile
At the end of the academic year when a child turns 5, the practitioner records each child’s development by watching the child playing and in the classroom and carrying out pre-planned tasks and assessments. The completed assessment is known as the ‘early years foundation stage profile’. This is used to help the year 1 teacher plan lessons for the children.
At St. Anne's we use the programme ‘Tapestry’ to implement the assessment, planning and observation cycle. This system enables us to send parents weekly pictures and updates regarding their child's learning.
Further information:
https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage
http://earlyyearsmatters.co.uk/index.php/eyfs/learning-and-development/
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2015/03/what-to-expect-when-a-parents-guide/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/early_years_foundation_stage/
