Welcome to the EYPS Forum!

The EYPS forum was launched in April 2008 to support EYPs and EYPS candidates. If your local authority subscribes to the EYPSf subscription scheme, you have full access to the website's facilities. To access the list of participating LAs, click here.

children playing picture

Children's Minister Sarah Teather has launched a review of the EYFS, and has selected Dame Clare Tickell, chief executive of Action for Children, to carry it out. She will consider whether or not the current EYFS framework is too bureaucratic, and will be looking at ways to improve the attainment of children from deprived backgrounds. Of particular focus will be ensuring that the latest research on children's learning and development is used to best effect in early years practice and provision.

At an NCB event in Westminster on July 5th 2010, she said,

"We have seen an improvement in children's achievement at five, but as well as the support and enthusiasm for the EYFS, there are also critics. Some providers, particularly the small ones in the voluntary and private sector, feel it conflicts with their principles on how children should be supported to develop".

The Minister has announced that she would like all providers to have a voice:

"The review is not about cost cutting. It's about what works for children, parents and the childcare sector. It will be an open review and we want all providers to feel involved, so that we can make sure we really get it right as we move forward. The review will be evidence based. It's a question of how we can make sure that we still have that quality".

Ms Teather believes that professionals should be allowed to "use their accountability, autonomy and judgement".

Join the forums to voice your opinions of the EYFS! What particular aspects would you like to change?

We welcome EYPs and candidates from the local authority of Manchester, Shropshire, Cornwall, LB of Redbridge, Coventry City and Ealing as our newest members!  Please feel free to look around, join in and get in touch if you have any problems or questions!  Lancashire, Liverpool, Birmingham, Norfolk and Suffolk local authorities have just renewed for a second year. A special welcome back to Portsmouth City, Medway, Milton Keynes, Isle of Wight, Stockton 0n Tees, Middlebrough,  LB of Richmond, West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, Essex, Hartlepool, EYPs@Reading University, Northumberland, Oxfordshire, Herefordshire and Cumbria who have now renewed for a third year.  Current members from these authorities need do nothing: their account subscriptions will automatically be renewed.


Latest Articles

The Multi-sensory Approach

June 15th, 2010
Incorporating a multi-sensory approach can bring teaching and learning alive with new ways to experience the ordinary and familiar.

Outdoor Play Leaflet for Parents

May 27th, 2010
A leaflet for settings to make available to parents explaining why outdoor play is so important.

Brain-based Learning

May 10th, 2010
This is the second in a series of articles looking at recent research into how young children learn. Here we examine how a better understanding of brain development can enrich early years practice.

Partnership with Parents: Out and About with Your Child

March 12th, 2010
Another leaflet in our series for you to share with parents and carers. This time, we look at enjoyment and learning within the local environment.

Recent Ofsted Reports (part 4): Looking at the EYFS theme of Learning and Development

March 11th, 2010
The final part of our series on inspectors' recommendations and judgements in recent Ofsted reports.

Learning and Developing from Day-to-day Experience?

March 9th, 2010
Professor Carol Aubrey, Director of Research at the Institute of Education, University of Warwick, considers the relationship between professional development and the role of mentoring.

Recent Ofsted Reports (Part 3): Looking at the EYFS theme of Enabling Environments

February 11th, 2010
The third in our series looking at the the most recent Ofsted reports and the focus of inspectors' recommendations and praise

Recent Ofsted Reports: What have Inspectors Focused On? (Part 2)

February 1st, 2010
In the second of our series of four articles, we outline those issues that have appeared frequently in Ofsted reports over the last three months. Here we consider the recommendations and descriptions of good practice within the EYFS theme of Positive Relationships.

Recent Ofsted Reports: What Have Inspectors Focused On? (Part 1)

January 28th, 2010
Having studied over 100 Ofsted reports from the last three months, we can see certain recurrent themes. In a series of four articles we outline those issues that have appeared frequently and our first article looks at recommendations and descriptions of good practice within the EYFS theme of A Unique Child.

Partnership with Parents: Messy Play

December 17th, 2009
Following the parent information leaflet about reading, accessed from our resource library here on the forum, here is one about Messy Play. Parents may not be aware of the value of messy play and this leaflet helps to explain why it is encouraged in early years settings.