Putting the EYFS Curriculum into Practice

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reduce workload such as unnecessary paperwork, so you can spend more time with the children in your care Within the document it is mentioned that the EYFS is an intrusive attempt to ‘micro-manage’ all 0 – 5 childcare establishments as well as dictating ‘best practice’ including parents. Within the EYFS it does not specify that the parents should do as they are told neither does it specify how practitioners should work with the children. Therefore Pugh.G et al (2010:105), states that “It requires the practitioner to differentiate to understand each child as an individual and personalize the curriculum content to match their needs and interests”. However practitioners should have an in depth knowledge of their key children, so that they can use the EYFS Framework to support and help plan opportunities and activities. These will then enhance children’s learning and encourage the individual children’s development in a way that will interest them. Sustained shared thinking: An episode in which two or more individuals “work together” in an intellectual way to solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate

Adding this requirement does not mean that you must carry out supervised toothbrushing. You will not be required to assess children’s oral health. The EYFS recognises the importance of the wider environment both in working in partnership with parents and the ethos of the EYFS, providing equality of care and education for all. Research has shown that good quality early education and care has wide – ranging benefits for all children. Being provided across nurseries, reception classes, pre – schools, children’s centres and childminders, it enhances social and cognitive skills and is of particular benefit to disadvantaged children (N.A: 2010). However other curriculums have also the quality input that the EYFS has, for example the High Scope Curriculum, Montessori etc. It could be argued that children who have an intellectually and physically stimulating environment will maintain a more complex network of synapses in the brain (Bee: 1997). These biological changes in nature can have implications for practice, the EYFS however has a variety of suitable activities planned for those at different ages and stages of development. This is a prime example of how ‘nurture can influence nature. Additionally Bowlby’s (1907 – 1990) research found that babies/children succeed if they receive care from one main caregiver which is usually the mother. They are also more likely to make secure attachments and then initially grow up into being well – balanced adults. (O’Hagan et al: 1993). Therefore modern researchers have disputed the fact that only the mothers can perform this task (Smith et al: 1993), regardless the debate of ‘working mothers’, it still remains that the children’s emotional and cognitive development are best when there is that continuity of care available. When in care children under the age of 5 should each be allocated key workers so that children can form key attachments with this person, this is where secondary attachments are formed. The key person is a key to developing relationships with the children that are assigned to them as swell as sharing and collecting information by working in partnership with parents of the key children allocated. The EYFS reflects this by stating that “Each child with early years care and education should be allocated a key person” (EYFS: 2007). By having a key person allocated to the children it enables them to develop an attachment with the practitioner on a secure basis knowing that they can rely on the key person. One of the things this chapter focuses on is the connection between being an early childhood educator and social justice. Professor Lumsden reminds us that equality is the legal right of every child. She also says that We all live in a society that, despite legislation, is not equal, nor is the aspiration for an inclusive society held by all. That we need to embed anti-oppressive practice in our settings. And that we have a responsibility in the sector to understand the power we have in our interactions with others.Once your aims are clear, you are ready to plan your Professional Development programme. This is most likely to be effective if it’s based on the best available evidence and clearly focused on improving children’s experiences in your setting. Consider how your programme will lead to: they are longer, there is more depth, and they contain examples of things that you can do with children In most cases, sound early years principles and practices are already in place in settings. The EYPP funding allows settings to review and refine what these principles mean to them. It may be useful to consider your understanding of what these principles are through discussions, professional reading and observation of your practice. What does sound early years practice look like? When justifying your EYPP expenditure it will be important to monitor at two separate points ie a starting point and again after the intervention. There The Newham Nursery Schools, along with UEL and LBN are very excited to launch our latest conference which is perfect for anyone working in EYFS, from leaders to teaching assistants. Hear from esteemed EY experts: Professor Iram Siraj, Dr Shaddai Tembo, Kerry Murphy, Dr Julian Grenier and Phil Minns.

Save Curriculum Masterclasses: A Christmas Celebration to your collection. Share Curriculum Masterclasses: A Christmas Celebration with your friends. Written by experts in the field, this book provides clear, practical guidance on each of the 7 areas of learning and development in the revised (2021) EYFS.Allocated funding Government sets the rate of Early Years Pupil Premium as part of the allocation of early years funding annually. How EYPP works Children who It is important to include families in helping to shape your decisions in relation to developments you want to make. Families know their circumstances best This practical book offers a scientific framework for the early years that is divided into four key areas: biological science, physical science, earth science a Search for: Recent Books

If you are a practitioner in a nursery you may find it helpful to speak to your manager about how your work needs to adapt to the changes. Childminders Early years pedagogy is the theory that informs the practice of teaching children in the early years. The pedagogical research has been carried out by Developing skills in communication and language impacts on a child’s holistic development. Children are able to express themselves, share their ideas, talk about their experiences, make friends, access play and learning opportunities, make sense of the world and influence our curriculum and planning. We are paving the way for later literacy development, enabling them to understand instructions, ask questions and become independent, curious learners. The early learning goals have been changed to make them clearer and more specific. They are more focused on the main factors that support child development at age 5. The 7 areas of learning and development are:

Context: understanding the current context and challenges, and ensuring that we make the right choices for the children we are working with The document also questions whether the EYFS encourages good practice. According to Pugh.G et al (2010:105) “we need to focus the curriculum on what is important for the children, the things that they need to be doing at this stage of their development”. By looking at the research and practice the most important things are Being Social, Being Positive, Being a Communicator, Being Creative and Being Healthy and Safe (ECM:2003). By introducing reading and writing at an early stage it could be argued that it can lead to complications later on and also delaying phonic work, therefore the EYFS recommends that practitioners use their professional judgement with introducing phonics. On the other hand the authors are claiming that children who come from a less stimulating disadvantaged environment ‘waste an entire year’ falling further behind their middle class peers in learning (e.g reading), whose parents generally know better than to delay reading instruction. This is not entirely true, Gaunte (2010) clarifies that “Parents with the support of the wider family, are children’s primary educators. What parents do at home with young children has the most impact on all aspects of their development – social, emotional, intellectual and physical”. It’s important to start with a clear understanding of your local context: what do children bring to your setting? What do they need you to offer them? What does your assessment information tell you about the progress children make? All of this information can help you to pinpoint priorities for improvement. You might need to focus more on certain areas of the curriculum: for example, if many of your children have limited space to play,