No tests for toddlers – just playing, exploring, talking

Last updated 09:14, Tuesday, 30 September 2008

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a new, national framework which covers learning, development and welfare for young children from birth to five, and will apply to all pre-schools and Ofsted registered nurseries.

Good grounding: Three-year-olds Charlie McGregor and Thomas Batey, left, and Natasha Leigh Davidson, above, at Pear Tree Nursery, Longtown

When the idea was first mooted nearly three years ago, it came in for sharp criticism because people feared the implementation of a curriculum for babies and toddlers, where they would be tested on subjects and lose the freedom to play.

In fact, a play-based approach to learning is at the heart of EYFS.

Samantha Dever, from Cumbria County Council’s children’s service department, said: “This is a national framework covering young children’s learning, development and welfare.

“It is based on principles of what we know is important when looking after very young children, rather than a curriculum.

“It is a play-based framework because young children learn best by playing, exploring and talking.

“Working in this way is much better for the individual child. Overall, it should lead to a better quality of experiences, and therefore enable children to be happier, healthier, safer and to learn and develop better.”

Some of the changes parents might notice are: more or different use of the outdoors; changes to the rooms the children play in; more time spent on activities children have chosen themselves; and an improved partnership with parents.

The latter change is an important part of EYFS, which aims to highlight the crucial role parents can play in supporting their child’s development.

Parents can expect to be asked for their input into assessments about their child, including information about what their child is like at home.

They might be consulted about their views on the setting their child attends, and offered workshops or other opportunities to find out how children learn through play.

So why are the changes being introduced? Samantha explained: “The change is to improve the quality of provision for young children.

“This is important because we know from research that high quality early years provision improves children’s wellbeing and gives children a much better chance of success in later life.

“In high quality provision, parents may not see any dramatic differences, but it is an opportunity for all early years settings to review their practice and look for ways to get even better.

“There will no longer be a distinction between ‘care’ and ‘education’ – parents should not be able to tell whether they are watching a ‘learning’ session or a ‘childcare’ session.

“This is because young children do not make this distinction – they learn in all kinds of ways even from before birth.”

For more information visit www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs