The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework is a government document that all schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers in England must follow. It sets standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old. The standards ensure your child will learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.

What are the EYFS learning and development requirements?

The learning and development requirements cover three prime areas, which are considered particularly important for stimulating children’s interest in learning, and in building relationships:

• communication and language: giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment, develop their confidence and skill in expressing themselves, and speak and listen in a range of situations.

• physical development: providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive, develop their co-ordination, control, and movement, understand the importance of physical activity, and make healthy choices about food.

• personal, social and emotional development: helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others, form positive relationships and respect others, develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings, understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.

The three prime areas are strengthened by four specific areas of learning: literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world, and expressive arts and design. These areas are connected, with learning in one particular area supporting learning in the others.

What are the EYFS assessment requirements?

To plan for successful learning, early years practitioners need to observe children to identify their interests, explore how they learn, and monitor their progress in each area of learning and development.

Reflecting on these observations means practitioners can shape learning experiences for individual children. As vital part of the assessment process, we ask you to share your observations of your child at home.  Additionally, you can chat to your child's key person at drop-off or pick-up and also share posts on Tapestry.

In the main nursery, all parents have a settling-in discussion about their child after three weeks and then one parent consultation in each subsequent term.  When children are moving on to primary school, the key person will write a report which is shared with the next setting.

In the warren, parents are always welcome to chat to their child's key person at any time.  A two-year progress report is written by their key person who will organise a meeting to talk about and explain the report.  Parents and child's voice form an important part of that report and you will be asked to share your thoughts on their progress.