The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a UK based framework for learning, development and care of children from birth to five years old. All schools and early years providers in the United Kingdom follow the EYFS, including childminders, preschools, nurseries and school reception classes.
This is a very important stage as it helps a child get ready for school as well as preparing them for their future learning and successes. From when a child is born up until the age of 5, their early years experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support their development, care and learning needs.
Children will mostly be taught through games and play.
The 7 areas of learning are:
- communication and language
- physical development
- personal, social and emotional development
- literacy
- mathematics
- understanding the world
- expressive arts and design
Each child’s progress will be reviewed - or should be reviewed - when they are between two and three by an early years practitioner or health visitor.
Their class teacher will assess them at the end of the school year when they turn five.
The assessment is based on classroom observation - your child won’t be tested. It uses the early learning goals, which can be found in the early years framework.
You can download a parent's guide to EYFS here.
