The New EYFS Curriculum
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is being reformed and there is a new EYFS framework that all
schools and settings will have to follow from September 2021.
Please click here for the reformed EYFS framework.
These national changes have been made to
better support all young children’s learning and development. It is also the aim that the new framework will
better prepare children for the transition into key stage 1.
There are some elements of the EYFS that have not significantly changed and some that have. Children still learn skills, acquire new knowledge and demonstrate their understanding through seven areas of learning and development. These are:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development.
These prime areas are those essential for a child’s healthy development and future learning. As children develop, the prime areas support them to develop skills in a further four specific areas. These are:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design.
Below are some
of the key points from the new EYFS reforms that include relevant changes which parents, carers and children
may notice or experience.
• Staff will be spending less time on large amounts of written observations and assessments for evidence
collection. This means they can spend more time supporting and engaging with the children and their
learning and development needs.
• Children will no longer be assessed against statements from an age band category. Instead, staff will
use their experience and knowledge to monitor if a child’s learning and development is on track for
their age.
• The early learning goals at the end of Reception have been changed to become more clear and easier to
understand. Staff will use their judgements to assess if the children have met these goals at the end of
the EYFS and inform parents and carers.
• There is an emphasis on improving children’s language and vocabulary through increasing opportunities
for conversations, reading of a wide range of books and holding discussions around activities in other
areas of learning.
• Literacy and numeracy skills focused on in the EYFS have been adapted to better match up with the
national curriculum that starts in year 1.
• There is no longer an exceeding judgement at the end of Reception. Children will instead be challenged
to have a greater depth and understanding of ideas.
• Safeguarding and welfare of children is still a priority, with the added mention of teaching children about
the importance of good oral health and how to keep teeth clean and healthy.
The Early Learning Goals are used to assess Reception children in the Summer Term before they go up to Year 1. Before that time, our Nursery and Reception children are tracked and assessed using the document 'Development Matters'. This too has been updated to match the new EYFS framework.
Please click here for the updated 'Development Matters' document.
Click here for more information on how you can support your child with the new curriculum.