Early Childhood Education generally involves teaching children between the ages of three to five years. Although formal education is not compulsory until the age of five, many leading experts agree that this period of learning may prove to be the most important and influential of all stages in a child’s education.
In Nursery School, sometimes called Early Years Basic Stage (EYFS), teachers cover the same six areas of learning that they follow throughout a child’s entire educational career. The six areas covered are:
• Communication, language and literacy
• Math Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
• Physical development
• Creative Development
Children access these six areas through the use of structured and imaginative play, and these are planned and delivered by qualified teachers who have chosen to specialize in this particular area. All student teachers who follow a Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Education (PGCE) at some point in their training will cover the early years curriculum; giving those who intend to work with very young children the opportunity to play this role.
Research has shown that this early entry into education is particularly beneficial and increases the chances that children will become well-rounded and fulfilled individuals. For example, it has been shown that those children who have had Early Childhood Education generally go to higher grades, with greater literacy; they are unlikely to commit crime and are less likely to be victims of teen pregnancy and other negative and socially inhibiting factors. Simply put, early childhood education has been shown to give children the best possible opportunity to reach their full potential.
Successive governments have been quick to realize the impact early childhood education can have on children as they grow into adults and as a result many local governments have wholeheartedly committed to ‘Sure Start Centres’. There is a wide range of services here to support families, and this ties in with the government’s ‘Every Child Matters’ policy. The Sure Start strategy is one way to promote positive outcomes for children, regardless of their background.
The Independent Sector
Given the undeniable benefits to be derived from Early Childhood education, and especially due to initiatives such as ‘Sure Start’, it is not surprising that Independent Schools have ensured that their Early Childhood education offer is of the highest quality. and that teaching and facilities are a feature of Excellence. With some of the limitations imposed by the state sector, Independent Schools can embrace a positive and creative nursery learning environment in a vibrant way that suits parents and children alike.
Very often, children attend nursery school from the age of two for a minimum of four days a week before finally moving on to the main school at age four. This is a great way for children to progress through the key stages without having to change schools and helps promote the deep sense of belonging and healthy sense of community that is often at the heart of an independent school.
