The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a document for early years childcare providers to help them support your child's learning and development from birth to five years
Parent's guide to the Early Years Foundation stage
​
The EYFS sets out the standards that all early years childcare providers must meet to ensure that your child learns and develops well and are kept safe and healthy. It promotes teaching and learning to make sure that all children have the skills to get them ready to progress through school and future life.
When your child starts with an early years childcare provider they will be assigned a key person who will make sure that their learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs and help them settle well into the provision and build relationships with parents.
The key person will look, listen and note how they play and then build on this by planning a challenging environment to support your child's development. You can also share what you see your child doing with their key person. They can also give you ideas on what you can do at home with your child.
Progress assessments
Your child's learning will have on-going assessments including the Progress check at age two and assessment at the start of the reception year and at the end of the EYFS:-
When they are between two and three years old there is a 'progress check'.
If a child moves between early years providers between the ages of two and three, the progress check would usually be carried out by the early years childcare provider where the child has spent the most time. Your early years childcare provider must give you a short written summary of your child's development in the three prime areas of learning and development when your child is aged between 24 and 36 months.
Give us a call:
01803 312542
Another assessment is at the start of the reception year - the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) and taken in the first six week in which a child starts reception. The last assessment at the end of the EYFS is in the final term of the year in which they reach the age of 5 - the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP).
This will assess your child's development against early learning goals and practitioners must indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development, or if they are not yet reaching expected levels ('emerging'). This is the EYFS Profile.
Your child's school or early years provider has to share the results of the profile with you. A copy will also be given to your child's Year 1 teacher to help plan activities which meet the stage of their development and learning needs. The profile must be completed for all children, including those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
Your early years childcare provider must also make sure your child has enough opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in the English language during the EYFS. If your child's home language is not English, their early years provider must give opportunities for your child to develop and use their home language in play and learning, supporting their language development at home.
If you're worried about your child's progress, talk to your early years childcare provider and together you can agree on how to support your child.
You can find out more about the Early Years Foundation Stage on the www.gov.uk website.