Why is EYFS important?

What is EYFS?

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum establishes standards for children aged newborn to five years old's learning, development, and care. It is the beginning of a child's education. It ends when a child enters Key Stage One (KS1).

Children, up to five years of age should be supported in learning and development by the Early Years Foundation Stage. This guide was created to help practitioners, teaching/education staff, and childminders who provide care and learning for young children. Nursery and Reception cater to children between 3 and 5 years old. Play and learning through play are essential for the foundation stage. During the reception year, children learn skills to help them prepare for Year One.

When was EYFS introduced?

Since 2008, the EYFS curriculum has been required, establishing learning and welfare criteria for any provider caring for children aged newborn to five years. It was created in response to research showing the importance of high-quality childcare in boosting children's learning and development.

As part of the new framework, three essential areas of learning were highlighted - communication and language, physical development, and social, emotional, and personal development. As children grow, structured learning becomes more important.

The Foundation Stage recognises that children must be able to use actual experiences as the foundation for their learning. Based on this, the EYFS emphasises play, modelling, painting, researching, and cooking as primary learning tools.

What are the principles of EYFS?

Understanding the four guiding concepts of the Early Years Foundation Stage is essential to gaining a deeper understanding of it. All seven EYFS areas require these principles for children to flourish. Practitioners can create an ideal learning environment where children can constantly learn, grow, and flourish when they know the EYFS themes.

The four guiding principles that govern schools' and practitioners' work, according to the EYFS framework for the early year's foundation stage (New EYFS 2021), are:

• Every child is an individual who is continually learning and has the potential to be resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
• Positive relationships teach children to be strong and self-sufficient.
• Children thrive in enabling environments with adults who respond to their interests and support their learning over time. Practitioners, parents, and caregivers work closely to support children's learning.
• Children develop and learn at different rates.

What is the EYFS Framework?

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework was developed in collaboration with many early years experts and parents to aid all professionals working in the EYFS to help kids.

In 2021, The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework was updated with a stronger emphasis on the issues that matter most, making it more transparent and straightforward. Additionally, this new framework focuses more on supporting a child's development. It states:

• Keeping children safe and promoting their welfare requires everyone to follow legislative requirements.
• Seven areas of learning and development that influence experts' participation in children's play and activities.
• Assessments will provide information about the child's progress through the EYFS.
• Five-year-olds should achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception year.
• Children's professionals can find advice on planning learning activities and observing, assessing and guiding a child's development.

Why is EYFS important?

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is an important stage in how the government and experts describe a child's existence between birth and five. Quality daycare has been proven to benefit children up to elementary school.

EYFS is based on the idea that young children must play to make friends, learn, and understand their surroundings. For better or for worse, it is where the foundations for a child's future education are laid. Children should have a joyful, energetic, exciting, entertaining, and secure childhood.