A critical analysis of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Essay

A critical analysis of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) - Essay Example The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a resource for early childhood care and education practitioners to support the needs of young children under their care. It sets standards for learning, development and care for children up to five years of age. EYFS provides a wide variety of information on child development to help practitioners understand how children grow and what they need to help them optimize their potentials (Tickell, 2011). The use of this resource will effectively enable early childhood settings to meet the key outcomes outlined in Every Child Matters and to ensure that high quality service is provided to the children. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) In early childhood, caring for all children involves many considerations. One is to see each child at his or her own developmental level and create activities and opportunities appropriate to their particular levels. The child needs to develop holistically, meaning each developmental area is given attention to so g rowth and development as a whole person ensues. The crucial areas of development that need to be emphasized in early learning are Personal, social and emotional development; Communication and language Physical development (Department of Education, 2012). Aside from these major areas, the children also need to develop skills in literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design (Department of Education, 2012) These are all linked together, as in development in one area affects the others. The practitioner needs careful planning and implementation of activities so that children under their care grow in all areas. The EFYS works around four essential themes namely: A unique child; positive relationships; enabling environments and learning and development (Department of Education, 2012). These themes are briefly explained as follows. Each child is born with his or her own set of talents and potentials, and these are meant to be developed all throughout his lif e. The practitioner is to help the child develop his or her potentials to the fullest by providing him with activities and experiences to hone his skills. If the child shows propensity for the arts, the practitioner allows him or her to indulge in creative activities of interest to the child (Tickell, 2011). EYFS’s theme of positive relationships enables children to grow up in environments that make them feel love and security from their homes or learning environments, making them grow up to be self-confident, self-propelling people. Supportive adults help children understand the emotions they undergo, especially if these feelings are negative and confusing to the child (anger, disappointment, jealousy, etc.). In being understood, the children themselves learn to be sensitive to others’ feelings and provide the same support and understanding to them, creating a circle The key of positive relationships. The outcomes specified in Every Child Matters are met in such posit ive environments (Department of Education, 2012). The theme of provision of enabling environments for children play a key role in helping and guiding children in growing to be capable individuals. This entails a practitioner’s keen observation of each child, as to his or her interests, skills, personality traits, etc. and get cues from the children themselves as to how they would like their learning to be structured. Careful planning of activities for children should consider important concepts and skills they should be learning at their developmental level. Again, this agrees with the constructivists’ view of children’