Benefits of early education
The first few years of your child’s life are when they develop fastest and will learn more than any other time in their life. It is the time that children develop the foundations for lifelong learning.
When your child attends a registered early year’s provider they will follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which is a play based curriculum.
The EYFS is how the Government and early year’s professionals describe the time in your child’s life between birth and age five. This is a very important stage as it helps your child get ready for school as well as preparing them for their future learning and successes.
From when your child is born up until the age of five, their early year’s experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support their development, care and learning needs. Through accessing the funded early education entitlement your child will be cared for by childcare professionals in a safe environment giving them opportunity to learn through their play experience building on their individual needs and interests.
How you can help your child prepare for early education
- Prepare your child for starting at the setting by visiting and having a settling in period.
- Have a routine – always attend for the hours you have booked and be punctual arriving at the setting and picking up your child.
- Make good links with your child’s setting. Keep them informed of any changes that could affect your child and find out what your child has been doing during the day – it’s really good to know this so you can talk about and share your child’s experiences.