EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE (EYFS)

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted EYFS in a nutshell At its most basic level, the Early Years Foundation Stage is simply a framework which aims to ensure that all children attending early years settings are kept safe and helped to thrive. The EYFS has been developed directly from Every Child Matters. It has the force of law given to it by the passing of the Childcare Act 2006.

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Standards The EYFS sets the standards for: care learning development when children attend a setting outside their home, so that: every child makes progress no child is left behind.

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Opportunity The EYFS provides for equality of opportunity and anti- discriminatory practice so no child is excluded or disadvantaged because of their: ethnicityculturereligion home languagefamily backgroundlearning difficulties disabilitiesgender ability

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Partnership The EYFS creates a framework for partnership working between: parents and professionals all settings the child attends.

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Quality By providing a set of standards which apply to all settings, the EYFS aims to improve quality and consistency throughout the early years sector. Care and learning are no longer considered separately within the framework. Inspection and regulation is based around the requirements of the EYFS.

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Future By emphasising the importance of the individual needs and interests of the child, the EYFS aims to provide a secure foundation for future learning. Individual learning and development is planned and informed through the use of observations.

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Key EYFS documents The legal requirements and statutory guidance are contained in the booklet called Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage provides just 16 pages of advice and information for meeting the requirements of the EYFS. The rest of the booklet contains information about learning and development and what practitioners should look out for, say and do and how to plan and resource activities.

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Other EYFS resources Also included in the EYFS Pack are the Principle into Practice cards; these provide quick and simple reminders and points for consideration for all areas of working with children. The CD-ROM contains the two booklets and Principle into Practice cards as well as an extensive bank of other materials of use to Early Years practitioners.

EYMP1 Context and principles © Laser Learning Limited 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited. Printing and photocopying permitted Activity Look at Sections 1 to 3 of the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage (pages 5 to 20). Highlight any key words or sentences to help you remember the main points of the EYFS framework.