Section 1 – The Learning and Development Requirements This Audit of MUSTs is to be used in conjunction with It provides an opportunity for you to evidence and evaluate your practice in relation to the EYFS statutory requirements. Review date Location of evidence Action required EYFS Relevant Paragraph 1.1 Providers must work in partnership with parents and/or carers, to promote the learning and development of all children in their care, and to ensure they are ready for school. Early years providers must guide the development of children’s capabilities with a view to ensuring that children in their care complete the EYFS ready to benefit fully from the opportunities ahead of them. Areas of Learning and Development 1.3 There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas, the prime areas are: • Communication and Language; • Physical Development; and • Personal, Social and Emotional Development. 1.4 Providers must also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are: Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; and Expressive Arts and Design. 1.5 Educational programmes must involve activities and experiences for children, as follows.
Practitioners working with the youngest children are expected to focus strongly on the three prime areas, which are the basis for successful learning in the other four specific areas. Throughout the early years, if a child’s progress in any prime area gives cause for concern, practitioners must discuss this with the child’s parents and/or carers and agree how to support the child. Practitioners must consider whether a child may have a special educational need or disability which requires specialist support. They should link with, and help families to access, relevant services from other agencies as appropriate. 1.7 For children whose home language is not English, providers must take reasonable steps to provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning, supporting their language development at home. Providers must also ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language during the EYFS. When assessing communication, language and literacy skills, practitioners must assess children’s skills in English. If a child does not have a strong grasp of English language, practitioners must explore the child’s skills in the home language with parents and/or carers, to establish whether there is cause for concern about language delay. 1.8 Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity. Practitioners must respond to each child’s emerging needs and interests, guiding their development through warm, positive interaction. 1.9 In planning and guiding children’s activities, practitioners must reflect on the different ways that children learn and reflect these in their practice. Three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are:
Section 2 – Assessment Audit of MUSTs is to be used in conjunction with It provides an opportunity for you to evidence and evaluate your practice in relation to the EYFS statutory Framework. Review date Location of evidence Action required 2.1 In their interactions with children, practitioners should respond to their own day-to-day observations about children’s progress and observations that parents and carers share. 2.2 Assessment should not entail prolonged breaks from interaction with children, nor require excessive paperwork. Paperwork should be limited to that which is absolutely necessary to promote children’s successful learning and development. Parents and/or carers should be kept with their child’s progress and development. Practitioners should address any learning and development needs in partnership with parents and/or carers, and any relevant professionals. Progress check at age 2 2.3 When a child is aged between two and three, practitioners must review their progress, and provide parents and/or carers with a short written summary of their child’s development in the prime areas. This progress check must identify the child’s strengths, and any areas where the child’s progress is less than expected. If there are significant emerging concerns, or an identified special educational need or disability, practitioners should develop a targeted plan to support the child’s future learning and development involving parents and/or carers and other professionals as appropriate. 2.4 The summary must highlight: Areas in which a child is progressing well; areas in which some additional support might be needed; and focus particularly on any areas where there is a concern that a child may have a developmental delay (which may indicate a special educational need or disability).
Providers must inform parents and/or carers about staff deployment, and, when relevant and practical, aim to involve them in these decisions. Children must usually be within sight and hearing of staff and always within sight or hearing. 3.29 The provider must be aware that those aged 17 or over may be included in ratios (and staff under 17 should be supervised at all times). Students on long term placements and volunteers (aged 17 or over) and staff working as apprentices in early education (aged 16 or over) may be included in the ratios if the provider is satisfied that they are competent and responsible. 3.30 The ratio and qualification requirements apply to the total number of staff available to work directly with children. Before/After school care and holiday provision 3.40 Where the provision is solely before/after school care or holiday provision for children who normally attend Reception class (or older) during the school day, there must be sufficient staff as for a class of 30 children. Providers are to determine how many staff are needed to ensure the safety and welfare of children, bearing in mind the type(s) of activity and the age and needs of the children. Providers are to determine what qualifications, if any, the manager and/or staff should have. (See footnote 5 at paragraph 1.1 of the EYFS for the learning and development requirements for providers offering care exclusively before/after school or during the school holidays). Childminders 3.41 At any one time, childminders may care for a maximum of six children under the age of eight. Of these six children, a maximum of three may be young children, and there should only be one child under the age of one. Any care provided for older children must not adversely affect the care of children receiving early years provision.