G is for Guidance
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five years old which early years settings across England must meet. Given its statutory nature, adherence to the EYFS and understanding its ‘guidance’ is paramount for ensuring the delivery of high-quality early years education. As of January 2024, there are now two distinct EYFS frameworks: one tailored for group provision and another for childminders. In this article, Jamie Victoria, also known as ‘The Childcare Guru’ breaks down the framework tailored for those working in group-based settings like nurseries, preschools, and daycare settings.
Breaking down the EYFS
It’s important to remember that following the EYFS isn’t just a suggestion, it’s the law. However, there is no need to worry as understanding it is easier than you might think. Whether you’re an experienced manager or a new recruit, everything you need to know is detailed in the EYFS framework. It covers everything from paperwork procedures to staff ratios, answering burning questions such as, “What do we need to do?” and “How do we do it right?”
Here’s the thing: it’s more than just the responsibility of leaders and managers to understand the EYFS. It’s a team effort. Everyone in a childcare setting should have an understanding of what the EYFS entails and how it shapes our daily practices. So, let’s break down the three sections of the framework and ensure that we’re all on the same page.
Section one – learning and development requirements
This section outlines what you must do, from working in partnership with parents and carers to supporting the learning and development of all children in your care; ensuring that their entire early years experience helps to positively impact their brain development and readiness for key stage one.
Section two – assessment requirements
This section details the requirements you have to follow to assess children’s progress, understand their individual needs and plan activities to support them.
Section three – Safeguarding and welfare requirements
This section explains everything you must do to ensure children are kept safe and well. This includes:
- Safeguarding children.
- Ensuring the adults who have contact with children are suitable.
- Promoting good health.
- Supporting and understanding behaviour.
- Maintaining records, policies, and procedures.
Understanding EYFS requirements
Understanding the requirements outlined in the EYFS is fundamental to providing quality care and education for children aged 0-five. These requirements encompass everything that caregivers are legally obligated to do when registered on the Early Years Register.
The overarching goal of the EYFS is to ensure the well-being and development of children in early years settings. It’s not just about meeting legal obligations; it’s about creating environments where children play and learn, where they’re safe, healthy, and equipped with the opportunity to learn skills they need when they start school. Which I’m sure we can all agree is incredibly important.
Must, should or may
Throughout the EYFS, you’ll come across the term “must,” signalling requirements that you must follow legally. For instance, the 2-year progress check is outlined on page 19, paragraph 2.6. Here, practitioners are mandated to conduct a comprehensive review of each child’s progress and provide parents or carers with a concise written summary, detailing their development in the prime areas. This summary must highlight areas of progress, identify potential areas for additional support, provide parents with support for home learning, and outline strategies for addressing any concerns, involving relevant professionals as necessary.
Additionally, the EYFS also incorporates the terms “should” or “may,” indicating recommendations or suggestions that, while not legally mandated, are still crucial for promoting best practices. For example, paragraph 2.7 encourages practitioners to consider including additional information in the 2-year progress check, beyond the prime areas, tailored to the unique developmental needs of each child.
What is a breach of the EYFS?
Failing to meet EYFS requirements such as (P.33, paragraph 3.51) where “providers must promote the good health, including the oral health, of the children they look after” can have consequences. You could be issued an ‘action’ or a ‘welfare requirements notice’ (WRN) from Ofsted. A WRN is issued if a provider is failing or has failed to meet one or more of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS.
A breach of the EYFS can be from any of the three sections: learning and development, assessment or safeguarding and welfare. So my question for you is, ‘can you confidently go through the EYFS and say or give examples where necessary to show you are doing everything that you should be?’
The EYFS and your curriculum
Firstly, the EYFS is not a curriculum itself but the basis on which you build your curriculum. “The curriculum consists of everything you want children to experience, learn and be able to do. It must meet the requirements of the educational programmes in the Early Years Foundation Stage”. The EYFS explains the seven areas of learning and the educational programmes (which are high level curriculum summaries) in section one:
Prime areas
- Communication and language.
- Physical development.
- Personal, social & emotional development.
Specific areas
- Literacy.
- Mathematics.
- Understanding the world.
- Expressive arts and design.
What’s fantastic about the EYFS is that it provides you with the freedom to develop your own curriculum, drawing inspiration from various educational philosophies or approaches, such as Montessori or forest school. This enables you to build your curriculum with values and principles that resonate with your vision for children’s learning and future success.
Each curriculum will naturally vary depending on factors like ethos, approach, and desired outcomes. And that’s perfectly fine!
Diversity in curricula reflects the unique needs and aspirations of different settings and their communities. When crafting your curriculum, Ofsted evaluates it based on three key components:
Intent: What do you aim for children to learn, experience and be able to do during their time in your setting, aligned with the seven areas of learning?
Implementation: How do you translate your intentions into action through teaching methods, providing opportunities, activities, and environmental design?
Impact: What is the measurable effect of your curriculum on children? Are they progressing effectively, and are there any areas that require adjustment or improvement?
By adopting this holistic approach to curriculum development, you can ensure that your teaching is purposeful, effective, and responsive to the evolving needs of the children in your setting.
Jamie offers exclusive training and resources designed to simplify these concepts and make them easily understandable. Visit her website to learn more!
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About the Author
Jamie, aka The Childcare Guru, brings 15 years of Early Years expertise, including roles as Nursery Manager, Forest School Manager, Deputy Head, and Ofsted Inspector. With a passion for supporting the early years community, Jamie is now a consultant, author, and trainer, dedicated to creating exceptional experiences for young children since 2018.
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