Early Years Foundation Stage - EYFS
Sunlands Kindergarten, as all registered Early Years Settings, works with the EYFS and we address all the seven areas of learning and development.
Three prime areas:
1) Communication and Language
2) Physical Development
3) Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Specific areas:
1) Literacy
2) Mathematics
3) Understanding the World
4) Expressive Arts and Design
The Statutory EYFS 2021 and Exemptions
The Statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Birth – 5 years, applies to all settings including ours. It sets out both learning and development requirements and safeguarding and welfare requirements for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday.
A revised version of the EYFS came into force on the 1st September 2021. The focus of the new EYFS Learning and Development requirements and Early Learning Goals have changed, and the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship negotiated exemptions and modifications to some of these under the ‘Established Principles’ route for all Steiner schools and settings. We have now received our letter from the Secretary of State outlining these exemptions, and we are now free to follow the Steiner Waldorf early childhood curriculum without compromise.
You can find out more about how we meet the requirements of the EYFS in the EYFS/Steiner Interpretation and Read-over and other documents which you will find in your kindergarten. You can also find a Parent’s guide to the EYFS on the government website http://www.foundationyears.org.uk
Because there are areas which conflict with Steiner Waldorf early childhood principles and practice, we have received some ‘Exemptions and Modifications’ to the EYFS Learning and Development requirements and Assessment regulations under the ‘Established Principles’ route for Steiner Waldorf settings. These are mostly to do with the introduction and in some cases formal teaching of reading, writing, mathematics and use of IT/media and electronic gadgetry. There is no exemption from the safeguarding and welfare requirements. (See list of Exemptions and Modifications in the kindergarten).