In England since September 2010, all three and four year olds are entitled to 15
hours of free nursery education for 38 weeks of the year. Early Years education
takes place in a variety of settings including state nursery schools, nursery classes
and reception classes within primary schools, as well as settings outside the state
sector such as voluntary pre-schools, privately run nurseries or childminders. In
recent years there has been a major expansion of Early Years education and
childcare. The Education Act 2002 extended the National Curriculum for England to
include the Foundation Stage which was first introduced in September 2000, and
covered children’s education from the age of 3 to the end of the reception year, when
children are aged 5. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) came into force in
September 2008, and is a single regulatory and quality framework for the provision of
learning, development and care for children in all registered early years settings
between birth and the academic year in which they turn 5. The EYFS Profile
(EYFSP) is the statutory assessment of each child’s development and learning
achievements at the end of the academic year in which they turn 5.