CU1533 CONTEXT AND PRINCIPLES FOR EARLY YEARS PROVISION
The relevant early year’s framework in England is the EYFS- Early Years Foundation Stage. It has been in use since September 2008 and consists of a statutory curriculum for children from birth to 5years who are being cared for outside their homes. The framework also applies to child-minders as well as after school clubs in addition to nurseries, pre-schools and schools regardless of how they are funded. Children are assessed at the end of their reception year. The teacher then completes an early year’s profile which consists of thirteen different scales that link to the early learning goals from the areas of learning. This is given legal force by the Early Years Foundation Stage (Learning and Development Requirements) Order 2007 made under Section 39 (1) (a) of the Childcare Act 2006. Legal requirements relating to welfare (safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare, ensuring suitable people and also suitable environments, equipment’s and organisation and also to ensure documentations). The welfare requirement is enforced by Regulations made under Section 39 (1) (b) of the Childcare Act 2006.
There are six area covered by the early learning goals and educational programmes. Which are?
-Personal, Social and Emotional Development
-Communication, Language and Literacy
-Creative Development
-Physical Development
-Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
-Knowledge and Understanding of the World
It is expected that practitioner must plan for this six areas and none of the areas of learning and development can be delivered in isolation from others and each area is important and depend on each other to provide a round approach to support a child development.
Every nation is developing its own approach to the care and education of young children, but it is worth noting that they all have some common features. These include the following: