Early Years Foundation Stage

Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage homepage. From here you can access guidance and advice on developing good quality early years practice and find out about a wide range of training opportunities.

Young children are entitled to high quality early years education and care. This is fundamental to their well being and development and lays the foundations on which later learning and success can be built.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Team aims to:

• equip early years settings and schools to be high quality providers of care and education in which all children can flourish and achieve
• ensure that all practitioners understand and apply their knowledge of how young children develop and learn
• ensure early years settings and schools put the young child, their family and wider community at the heart of the learning process
• be advocates for appropriate early years practice which recognises the importance of the child’s stage of development and has high expectations for all children to reach their potential

We offer a range of advice, guidance, training and support related to Early Years Foundation Stage:

• leadership and management issues
• birth to three good practice
• good practice for children 3-5
• Special Education Needs
• equality and diversity (Ethnic minority achievement and equality)
• working with parents
• training and qualifications

The service is available for headteachers, managers, teachers, coordinators, practitioners and childminders working with children from birth to the end of reception class, in all Islington schools and settings.

Use the links on the left to visit the other parts of this section.

Early Years Online Forum

All Islington early years practitioners have access to a national early years online forum. Schools, settings and childminders have been informed of the user name and password but if you need reminding please email: dan.clarke@islington.gov.uk

The Foundation Stage Forum (FSF) is an online community and resource dedicated to professionals working with the EYFS. Islington Early Years Foundation Stage Team has arranged free membership of the FSF for all Islington reception teachers, nursery practitioners and childminders. To find out more about how to join the FSF under this scheme, please visit this website by clicking on the link to the right hand side of this page.