Why Is It Important To Provide Early Learning For Children

The legal regulations under section 39 of the childcare act 2006 gives the early years foundation stage (EYFS) , that came into force in Sept. 2008 and providers are required to use the EYFS to ensure a flexible approach to children’s learning and development so that children will achieve the five every child matters outcomes which are :

In the UK all children aged between 3 and 4 years have the right to receive the minimum of 15 hours education which can be used between 3 and 5 days per week. There are many ways that this can be provided.

It was in 1996 that the first UK curriculum was introduced which was called ‘Desirable Outcomes’. Within the document were learning outcomes to be achieved by all children by the age of five and being a centralised system, an inspection scheme was also introduced. In this article Soler and Miller (2010) highlight how these changes were perceived to be shaping the early childhood curriculum from the outside rather than from within the early childhood community.

As part of the Every Child Matters and Childcare Act 2006 all children aged three and four in England are entitled to 15 hours per week of early years education for free. The local authority is provided with government funds to enable that early years education is provided for children for up to two years of free education over 38 weeks of the year, parents will also have the option to pay for additional hours if and when they require them.

All children aged 5-16 are entitled to a free place at a state school and most families take up this place. Schools across England are funded and managed in different ways and will vary depending on the age of the child.

The early years curriculum that supports children's care learning and development is the foundation phase. Foundation phase promotes learning through play. There are 7 areas of learning that consists of:

The Early years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a piece of frame work that relates to children from birth to

- The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2008 states that the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. It provides reassurance for parents that children in early years settings are safe and that the foundation provides everything for children to make the most of their abilities as they grow and develop.

As part of the Childcare Act 2006 and every child matters, all 3 and 4 year old children in England are able to receive free, part time early years education, up to 15 hours per week, for a school year of 38 weeks per year. Early year’s education follows the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance which was simplified in September 2012 and the Government funds local

In England, pre-school and nursery education is provided for within a wide range of settings including all pre-school groups, play groups , nursery centers, day nurseries, nursery schools and reception classes ( children aged 4-5 years) in primary schools.

An explanation of how different approaches to work with children in early years have affected current provision in the UK

The range of Early Years Settings reflects on the requirements of parents and families for their children. Some parents want care for their children so that they can return to work, some may want to stay with their children while they socialise, some may want their children in a setting which offer services aimed at learning, whilst some may want their children to be in a home based environment and some families cannot afford to pay fees for provision. This is why the |Early Year’s sector has various forms of provision to meet the needs of families. Provision include

Every child who on the term commencing after their 3rd Birthday is entitled to a free part time place in early years education. This was formed as part of the Every Child Matters agenda. From 0-5 years the framework of learning, development & care forms the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which follows the following principles:

In 2006 all 3/4 year olds were entitled to up to 12.5 hours a week during term time free early years education. This was increased to 15 hours a week in September 2011.

Explore Australian government policies, initiatives and legislative requirements and analyse how these documents influence curriculum, promote quality care and support the achievement of high quality outcomes for young children in Early Learning contexts.