The new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum was launched on April 3rd 2017, making it the most recent, cutting-edge standard in the international education industry for early years. But what does it cover and why does it matter? We have the definitive guide for you on all you need to know about the EYFS curriculum and how it will support your students.
- Designed in the UK, relevant globally
The EYFS guidelines establish the standards that all schools, childminders, and Early Years providers in the UK must meet to ensure that children learn effectively and are kept happy, healthy, and safe. Inspired by other established international curriculum such as Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and many others, our new Pingu’s English Kindergarten program focuses on ensuring “school readiness” through providing the broad range of knowledge and skills required to be an effective and inquisitive learner at school, work, and in life. Here at Pingu’s English, we believe this provides an overall plan for a successful future for young kindergarten learners globally, which is why we have placed this pedagogy at the center of our new Kindergarten course.
- Keeping kids safe and promoting their welfare
Central to children being able to succeed in their learning, is the requirement that they feel happy and safe in the environment where this occurs and, beyond that, in their wider life circumstances. The EYFS framework establishes a core set of safeguarding and welfare requirements, providing a benchmark for effective and professional care in a school which encourages successful young learners to flourish. We have incorporated this guidance, together with advice from a wide range of international childcare settings, into our new Kindergarten Operations manual and training to support your business.
- Guiding principles of early years learning & development
The EYFS curriculum identifies three prime areas which provide the basis for successful learning in general: communication and language, physical development, and personal, social, and emotional development. These three prime areas are strengthened and applied through four more specific areas of exploration: literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, and expressive art and design. We have used these core principles as the basis for the approach and structure of our new Kindergarten curriculum as they provide the best focus for developing successful international learners.
- Goals and outcomes to equip with skills for school, life, and work
The EYFS framework identifies core goals and visible outputs in each of the seven areas identified above. In this way teachers and parents can clearly understand how a child is progressing as an individual and where more support is required. By setting universal standards, (for example in listening, attention, understanding, and speaking within the communication and language area,) every child’s progress can be best understood and benchmarked, while still being treated as a unique individual. We have converted these goals into the “Learning Intentions” which guide every day of practice within our new Kindergarten curriculum, so that your teachers and parents have a clear and accurate understanding of how every child is progressing.
- Assessment that makes a difference
The EYFS program devotes significant consideration to the appropriate type and level of formative and summative assessment so that teachers can observe and understand their students, respond to their interests and learning styles, then shape individualized experiences which help them progress. We have used this as the foundation for assessment within the new Kindergarten course, balancing the necessary amount of paperwork to promote successful learning and keep parents informed, with devoting maximum time to hands-on interaction with your students.
If you want to hear more about how we embedded the EYFS into our ground-breaking International Kindergarten Curriculum, please contact opportunities@linguaphonegroup.com.