The revised framework, effective from September 2012, takes forward the Government’s reforms to the 2008 framework.
The changes will reduce paperwork and bureaucracy, enabling Early Years Practitioners and other professionals to focus even more on the care, learning and development of a child and build better relationships with parents/carers. The Early Years Foundation Stage framework is applicable for children from birth to the end of reception class (the academic year in which the child turns five). The main aim of the EYFS is to focus on the three prime areas of learning most essential for children’s readiness for future learning and development:
- PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
- PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
All settings and schools that receive funding for the education of children aged three to five are required to plan activities and experiences that help children make progress in their development and learning. The detailed four specific areas of learning are:
- LITERACY
- MATHEMATICS
- UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
- EXPRESSIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
Monitoring each child’s progress is essential to ensure that they are making progress and that particular difficulties in any areas of learning, whatever the cause, are identified and addressed.
