The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the standard education system for early years education in England and comprises a pedagogy focused on well-rounded development. The program covers education for all children until they are five years old, at which point they continue to a different education system depending on their school’s preference.
Outside England, many early years international schools follow the EYFS system for its reputation as a leading developmental program.
If you live outside of England and wish to enroll your child in an early years international school that follows EYFS, here is what you can expect for your child’s education.
Play-Based Learning
EYFS is developed around the idea that how and what a child learns in the early years of their life will have a lasting effect on how they develop. Children in an EYSF program can expect to learn through playing and games and will learn concepts like communication, emotional and physical development, and social skills. In later stages, they will learn hard skills like reading and mathematics.
Teachers in EYFS programs are trained to identify and nurture a child’s learning behavior and help create learning activities around it. They also support each child to lead activities and promote exploration and discovery.
Diverse Learning Groups
Most early years international schools prefer to teach in English as it is the de facto global language. That said, not all students will be native English speakers or coming from English-speaking households. In such a community, students are able to learn and explore different cultures as they interact with a diverse student body.
Though not part of the EYFS system, being in a diverse, international community aids in a student’s well-rounded growth as it frees them from bias or prejudice. Teachers are also trained to promote inclusiveness and protect students from what may disrupt their ability to learn holistically.
