From 1st September 2008 the government introduced a new framework for learning, development and care, the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS). The EYFS brings together Ofsted National Standards for Day care, Birth to Three Matters and Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage.

The EYFS is based on four main principles,

• A unique child - every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable and self assured.
• Positive relationships – children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents/carers
• Enabling environments – the environment plays a key role in supporting a child’s development
• Learning and development - children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates.
  

The EYFS describes how early years practitioners should work with children and their families to support learning and development through allocating each child a member of staff, a key worker, who ensures that their individual needs are met and works closely with parents to support their child’s development both at home and in nursery.

At the heart of the EYFS is the principle that young children need to play in order to learn and understand about the world around them. Play is vital for children, it helps them to develop socially and emotionally. Learning should be fun and exciting and in an environment which supports each child’s holistic development and gives them the confidence and skills to enable them to reach their full potential.

The EYFS promotes the learning and development of children in an environment where adults support individual needs and interests and through observation and assessment and use this information to develop individual planning for each child, acknowledging that every child is unique and they learn and develop at different rates and in different ways.

The overall aim of the EYFS is to help children meet the five Every Child Matters outcomes of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being.