The long-awaited Early Years Foundation Stage was published on Tuesday.
The EYFS, which comes into force in September 2008, is the new statutory framework which sets the standards for development, learning and care for children from birth to five in Ofsted registered settings. It builds on and replaces Birth to Three Matters, the Foundation Stage and the national standards for daycare.
The framework is part of a package of materials which include the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage booklet on learning and development, and resources including a CD-ROM and Principles into Practice cards.
The EYFS is based on a principled approach around four guiding themes a unique child; positive relationships; enabling environments; and learning and development. These four themes are then broken down into four commitments describing how the principles can be put into practice.
The Principles into Practice cards explain how practitioners can use these in everyday work with children.Bernadette Duffy, head of the Thomas Coram Early Childhood Centre, said, Starting from principles that practitioners believe in, rather than subjects to be taught, will make a big difference to practice. EYFS will stop the artificial division between under and over three-year-olds and mean that there will no longer be any confusion about the framework reception teachers should be using.
Childrens minister Beverley Hughes said, The Early Years Foundation Stage will help practitioners plan stimulating, age appropriate activities based on what they know about the childs interests. Primary National Strategy EYFS advisers will work with local authorities on training and development.
Local authorities will send hard copies of the EYFS to all early years providers. The EYFS is also available online at www.teachernet.gov.uk/eyfs.
- See the guide to the EYFS in Nursery Management