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England : Curricula (age 3-19)

Last updated: 16-Jul-2010
5.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, age up to 5 [see 3.2.1]
5.1.1 Control
5.1.2 Compulsory subjects
5.1.3 Optional/elective subjects
5.1.4 Formulation of curriculum
5.1.5 Key skills
5.1.6 Curriculum materials

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5.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, age up to 5

Childcare Act 2006

In 2006 the Childcare Act was approved by Parliament. This legislation aimed to ensure that all children have access to high quality early learning and care and to give parents greater choice when balancing work and family. Key elements of the Act include:

• An increase in the entitlement to free early childhood education and care for 3- and 4-year-olds.
• The introduction of a new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which establishes a framework to support children's development and learning from birth to age 5 (see below).
• A duty on local authorities to reduce inequalities between children from different backgrounds, and provide integrated and accessible early childhood services through children's centres.
• Provision of sufficient childcare for all parents in work or training.
• Reformed regulatory arrangements to give parents greater confidence in childcare providers. ³⁶⁷

5.1.1 Control

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) was introduced in September 2008 as a result of a provision in the Childcare Act 2006. The EYFS provides a single, statutory framework for care, learning and development for children from birth to the age of 5. It is applicable to all formal childcare settings. It brings together and builds on 'Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage' (2000), the 'Birth to Three Matters Framework' (2002 - a non-statutory framework which provided information on child development, effective practice, examples of activities to promote play and learning, and guidance on planning, resourcing and meeting diverse needs), as well as elements of the 'National Standards for under-8s Day Care and Childminding' (2003). ⁴¹⁶

Early learning goals

The EYFS incorporates early learning goals, which were first developed by the then Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (see below) as part of the Foundation Stage in 2000. The goals were made statutory by the  Education Act 2002 ²⁷⁵. The EYFS early learning goals are divided between the following six inter-related areas: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; problem solving, reasoning and numeracy; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and creative development. The EYFS framework outlines educational programmes to support the achievement of the early learning goals, which should be met through planned, purposeful play, with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. ⁴¹⁵

Responsibilities of the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

Under the Education Act 1997 (section 21-26),³ the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) was established on 1 October 1997 following the merger of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) and the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ).  Its function has been to develop and regulate the national curriculum, assessments in schools and qualifications and its remit includes all levels of education except for higher education. The Government has now established Ofqual (the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulation), as an independent examinations and qualifications regulator.  Ofqual has taken on most of QCA's regulatory functions, and the Government is introducing legislation which is expected to transform QCA into the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA). QCDA will continue to develop QCA's non-regulatory work. This includes:

• Ensuring that the school curriculum prepares young people for the future.
• Delivering National Curriculum tests and developing methods for assessing pupils' progress which support teaching and are manageable in the classroom.
• Reviewing and developing qualifications which provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to access employment and higher education.

For further information on QCDA see: http://www.qcda.gov.uk/aboutus.aspx

The forthcoming legislation is also expected to establish Ofqual as the independent examinations regulator. Further information on Ofqual's role is available from its website: http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/46.aspx 

5.1.2 Compulsory subjects

Early learning goals and educational programmes

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) was introduced in September 2008. It provides a single, statutory framework for care, learning and development for children from birth to the age of 5 in all formal childcare settings. It incorporates the early learning goals which were first introduced in 2000 as part of the Foundation Stage, as well as elements of the 'Birth to Three Matters' framework. (see 5.1.1).

There are 69 early learning goals in total which most children will achieve by the age of 5. However the EYFS does not involve children being tested and recognises that they will reach these goals at different stages in their development.

The goals are divided between six learning and development areas:

• Personal, social and emotional development
• Communication, language and literacy
• Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development 

The aim is not for any one of these areas to be delivered in isolation from the others. They are equally important and depend on each other to support a rounded approach to child development. The aim is that they should be delivered through planned play activities, with a balance between those which are adult-led and those which are child-initiated.⁴¹⁵ 

The EYFS framework provides educational programmes for each of the learning and development areas to support the attainment of the early learning goals: 

• Personal, social and emotional development: Children should be provided with experiences and support which will help them to develop a positive sense of themselves and of others; respect for others; social skills; and a positive disposition to learn. Providers should ensure support for children's emotional well-being to help them to know themselves and what they can do.
• Communication language and literacy: Children's learning and competence in communicating, speaking and listening, being read to and beginning to read and write should be supported and extended. Children should be provided with encouragement to use their skills in a range of situations and for a range of purposes, and should be supported in developing the confidence and the disposition to do so.
• Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy: Children should be supported in developing their understanding of problem solving, reasoning and numeracy in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practise and talk about their developing understanding. They should be provided with opportunities to practise their skills in these areas and to gain confidence and competence in their use.
• Knowledge and understanding of the world: Children should be supported in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. Their learning should be supported through offering opportunities for them to use a range of tools safely, encounter creatures, people, plants and objects in their natural environments and in real-life situations; undertake practical 'experiments'; and work with a range of materials.
• Physical development: The physical development of babies and young children should be encouraged through the provision of opportunities for them to be active and interactive and to improve the skills of coordination, manipulation and movement. They should be supported in using all of their senses to learn about the world around them and to make connections between new information and what they already know. They should be supported in developing an understanding of the importance of physical activity and making healthy choices in relation to food.
• Creative development: Children's creativity should be extended by the provision of support for their curiosity, exploration and play. They should be provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings, for example through a variety of art, music, movement, dance, imaginative and role-play activities, mathematics, and design and technology. ⁴¹¹

5.1.3 Optional/elective subjects

Not applicable during this phase.

5.1.4 Formulation of curriculum

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a single framework for care, learning and development for all children from birth to the age of 5 in early years settings.   It is based on a range of early learning goals (see above); these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the EYFS - that is, the end of the school year in which they have their fifth birthday. By the beginning of Year 1 of compulsory education (age 5+), some children will have exceeded the goals; other children will be working towards some or all of these goals. ³⁶⁷

5.1.5 Key skills

The early learning goals, which replaced the 'desirable learning outcomes' for this phase in August 2000, became statutory under the Education Act 2002 and now form the basis of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework (see 5.1.1, 5.1.2 and 5.1.4).  The early learning goals aim to develop key skills for learning for children during this phase. Such skills include listening, speaking, confidence with numbers, concentration, persistence and cooperation.²⁵³

5.1.6 Curriculum materials

Textbooks during this or any phase of education in England are not approved by the State.  The headteacher and staff decide on teaching methods and materials in early years education, nursery schools and classes. Books selected by staff for use in pre-compulsory education are usually produced by commercial publishers and textbooks, teaching materials and stationery are generally provided by the school/centre.⁴⁰

'Bookstart'

'Bookstart' is a national scheme, delivered in partnership between health visitors, librarians and early years practitioners with support from a number of children's book publishers. The programme was developed by the independent charity 'Booktrust' with the aim of supporting children's early communication and language development and social and emotional development. The scheme encourages parents to share books, stories and rhymes with their babies and children, and provides the following:

• 'Bookstart for babies' (0-12 months): Bookstart provides a bag of baby books to every new baby born in the UK. The bag contains: two baby books; a nursery rhyme placemat; a booklet setting out information and advice on sharing stories with young children; a booklist and an invitation to join the local library.
• 'Bookstart Plus' (for children aged 12-24 months): This began in September 2005 with the aim of complete coverage across England by April 2006. A pack is provided for each child comprising: a satchel-style bag; two books; a scribble pad and crayons; a booklist for toddlers and a library invitation. The pack aims to encourage language development, conversation and building relationships, as well as promoting the first steps towards writing.
• 'My Bookstart Treasure Chest' (for children aged 3-4): This 'chest' began to be given out in September 2005 with the aim of complete coverage across England by April 2006. It is designed to particularly appeal to young children, with hidden compartments for small toys or books and includes two books, a children's activity book, and a scribble pad and coloured crayons to encourage early writing. ³⁵¹

Further information is available via the Bookstart website.

Teachers' TV

Teachers' TV is a digital television channel, launched in 2005, which airs programmes on teacher training and development, resources for the classroom and education news.  It is editorially independent. ³⁹³

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