Consultation On New Framework For Delivering Early Years Provision

Mon, May 08, 2006

Source: Government News Network

Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes announced that the Department for Education and Skills would begin a 12 week consultation on the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes announced that the Department for Education and Skills would begin a 12 week consultation on the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

This framework is designed to improve the quality of childcare for all children regardless of the setting they attend. It will support practitioners in delivering well-planned play-based activities which are tailored to the needs of individual children and enable them to have fun, develop and learn.

The consultation is part of the ongoing partnership approach that has been taken to the development of the framework and will ensure that it reflects the existing effective practice in the very wide range of settings which will deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

Speaking at the Early Years and Primary Teaching Exhibition in Manchester Beverley Hughes said:

"I am pleased to announce that today we will begin our consultation on the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. The framework is based on research which shows that good quality early years provision improves life chances and will be fundamental to delivering on our aspiration to offer all parents and children the opportunity to access the highest quality childcare and early years provision.

"The framework will require practitioners to undertake effective planning, observation and assessment to ensure that provision is based on the progress of the individual child and helps them to learn. But that child's experience will continue to be informal, spontaneous and enjoyable - there will be no tests for very young children.

"If more children are to achieve their full potential then it is crucial that early years provision is provided in a safe, nurturing environment, which offers the opportunity for all young children to have fun and develop and gives them the best start to their learning journey. This is what is already happens in the best settings and through this consultation I want to capture this best practice and ensure that it becomes available to all parents and their children."

The consultation is live from 5 May 2006 and will run until 28 July 2006. The full consultation document can be downloaded at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations

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