Delays in child development in The early Years Foundation Stage

The Problem

Teachers and Educational Psychologists have noted that in the Early Years Foundation Stage, children  are not acquiring the abilities previously expected of them. Indeed more than half the children tested in one County failed to achieve the expected goals on entry to Reception Class. These failings carry forward with children being unable to concentrate in class and also lacking in their motor skills (poor co-ordination).

Possible Cause

It cannot be doubted that at the level of the Early Years Foundation Stage, young children in the home are engaging in fewer preschool activities - they remain sitting engrossed in computer games rather than running around developing their motor co-ordination - although this is addressed by some parents by taking children to organisations offering structured motor programmes - such as Tumble Tots. 'Movement is a child's first language', their early learning consists of running around, hopping and jumping, which encourages neurological development enabling the children to also develop key skills and improve their concentration in the early years.

Reception Entry

In the County, teachers are now implementing structured motor programmes on children on entry to Reception with the result that at the end of the first term, the vast majority now reach the expected standard. This does of course take up valuable resources and it would, however be better if the children could learn whilst pre school.

Pre School

If children could benefit from a structured nursery education and acquire the skills needed then they would not have to go through the motor Programme in the first term. Realising this, an Educational Psychologist has produced a Child Development Programme for children pre school in the early years. This programme, designed for pre-school children in the Early Years Foundation Stage ( aged 3-5) concentrates on developing key skills in literacy, numeracy, motor skills and information processing.  Pre school children can be taught both at home and benefit from nursery education, as well as Sure Start centers. They enjoy the preschool activities and the programme has the advantage over educational toys in that more than one facet of their early learning takes place.

To find out how the programme helps in the Early Years Foundation Stage, click here.