Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS)

Embracing the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework sets out the statutory requirements and practice guidance for providing high quality learning, development and welfare for children from birth until the August after their fifth birthday.  It can be downloaded from the National Strategies (External Website). The Framework is based on principles that:

• Recognise each child as a unique and competent learner
• Emphasise the importance of providing positive relationships
• Promote a rich enabling environment
• Emphasise the importance of a play-based approach to supporting learning and development.

EYFS and speech, language and communication

In order to progress to become competent readers and writers, children need to have developed good speech, language and communication skills. They need to be able to understand language, as well as develop the skills to use language to express themselves. Children need to have a well-developed vocabulary, with a real depth of understanding of the meanings of words.

The EYFS recommends that from birth onwards children should be helped to develop:

• Language for communication
• Language for thinking
• Linking of sounds and letters
• Reading
• Writing.

Schools and settings should develop their own strategy for the development of speech, language and communication, in line with the EYFS guidance, and this strategy should be shared with parents. It should describe how the setting will support all children’s communication development, as well as how it will identify and support children with SLCN. Leaders and managers should ensure that the strategy is implemented, and should lead their teams to constantly reflect on and review their practice.

N.B. The EYFS framework is presently being revised and the final version will be published in October or November 2011. The new EYFS will be implemented in September 2012.

© Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire PCT 2011.

This page was last reviewed 23 April 2013 at 14:14.
The page is next due for review 20 October 2014.