Early Years Foundation Stage
All
registered childcare providers in England caring for children under
5 must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). They are
registered and inspected against the requirements of the EYFS by
Ofsted.
The EYFS framework sets the standards for the learning,
development and care of children from birth to the end of the
Foundation Stage – this is 31 August after their 5th birthday. It
brings together three separate frameworks:
- Birth to Three Matters
- the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage
- national standards previously used for the registration and
inspection of early years providers.
Much of the information in the EYFS pack will already be
familiar to existing registered childminders as were previously
inspected against the national standards by Ofsted* and worked with
the Birth to Three Matters framework. Accredited childminders
offering early years education will also be familiar with the
Curriculum Guidance.
The EYFS pack itself is a vital document all childminders in
England will need to have. If you've not yet received your copy,
you can order the pack by calling 0845 602 2260. You can also view
all the documents online at www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs (external
link).
Local authorities are required to offer training on the EYFS so
contact the early years department of your local authority to find
out what's on offer in your area. NCMA is running training and
workshops on EYFS in many areas. Contact your local NCMA office for
more information.
If you're an NCMA member, make sure you read Who Minds?, your
NCMA membership magazine, for more updates and guidance on
implementing the EYFS.
NCMA has also published EYFS: Getting Started (PDF,
1.2mb), a booklet looking at the role of childminders in the new
framework.
A round-up of the 2009 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
results from the DCSF show that 23,000 more children have
achieved a good level of development and that gaps in achievement
have narrowed in the first year since the introduction of the Early
Years Foundation Stage.
Download the full factsheet from the list on the right.