Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and the recent changes
The NEW EYFS Reforms came into effect in September 2021.
What is the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework is a statutory document that all schools and Ofsted registered Early Years providers in England must follow. It sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. These standards ensure that children will learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.
The EYFS framework outlines seven areas of learning and development. There are three prime areas of learning, which are particularly important for your child’s development and future learning as they underpin the remaining four areas of learning:
There are four specific areas of learning, through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied:
The team at Aclet Close Nursery school will consider your child’s needs and interests and plan challenging and enjoyable activities and experiences.
How will my child be learning?
The EYFS framework identifies the essential role of play in your child’s development. It is through both child-led play and play guided by an adult that your child will develop confidence and relationships with others. Through play, we will help your child to extend their vocabulary and develop their communication skills. The EYFS framework identifies three characteristics of effective teaching and learning:
You can find out more about these here:
How will I know how my child is doing?
Our staff will use their professional knowledge to understand your child’s level of development. If we have any concerns about your child’s progress, we will discuss these with you.
Three ‘formal’ assessments take place during the EYFS; number 1 applies to us , as a Nursery School:
- Two-Year Progress Check (this will happen between the ages of 24 to 36 months and may be completed with your Health Visitor)
- Reception Baseline Assessment (at the start of the Reception year in Primary School)
- Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (at the end of Reception year in Primary School)
You will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s achievements and progress with their keyworker at different points over the year; these will usually be a few weeks after starting Nursery and then at six monthly intervals. We will also continue to use our learning platform, Class Dojo as well as our school Facebook page to share snap shots of your child’s day at Nursery and their achievements.
The changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
These national changes have been made in order to better support all childrens’ learning and development. It is also the aim that the new framework will better prepare them for the next steps of their educational journey.
Key points (for Nursery Schools) from the new EYFS reforms:
- Staff will be spending less time on large amounts of written observations and assessments for evidence collection. This means they can spend more time supporting and engaging with the children and their learning and development needs.
- Staff will use their experience and knowledge to monitor if a child’s learning and development is on track for their age. We will use OPAL 6 monthly development milestones as a ‘best fit’ guide.
- There is an emphasis on improving children’s language and vocabulary through increasing opportunities for conversations, reading of a wide range of books and holding discussions around activities in other areas of learning.
- Literacy and Numeracy skills have been adapted to better match up with the National Curriculum in Primary Schools.
- Safeguarding and welfare of pupils is still of upmost priority, with the added mention of sharing the importance of good oral health and how to keep teeth clean and healthy. We have a separate section on our website to support families with this and we have some books that you are welcome to borrow.
