Written question asked by Caroline Ansell (Conservative) on Friday, 17 May 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 May 2024. It was answered by David Johnston (Conservative) on Friday, 24 May 2024 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Pre-school Education

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to encourage early years providers to adopt a curiosity-led learning approach.

Answer: The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to give children the right foundation for future progress in school and life. The EYFS defines three characteristics of effective teaching and learning: playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically. Early years settings have the flexibility to utilise different learning approaches and design their own curriculum, based on the EYFS statutory requirements.

Secondary information