Your 3 to 5 year-old child and the Early Learning Goals

The emphasis in playgroup, nursery and reception classes should be on fun and learning through play. These children are very young! A great many skills can be learnt without any apparent "lessons". For instance, using scissors and gluing pieces of card develops coordination. The National Curriculum does not start until the beginning of Year 1, but the government has laid down Early Learning Goals that children should reach by the end of the Reception year.

Especially at this very young age, it is normal for children to develop at different speeds and to be further ahead in one area than another. These goals are designed to guide activities in schools, not to put these very young children under pressure.

The Early Learning Goals

The Early Learning Goals cover six broad areas:

personal, social and emotional development:
this includes knowing the difference between right and wrong, sharing, being able to dress and undress, taking an interest in others and in a variety of activities and having the self-confidence to try new things.
communication, language and literacy:
children will be expected to talk clearly and confidently, to enjoy listening to stories, poems and songs, to repeat new sounds, name and sound the letters of the alphabet, write their own name and read some simple common words (and, look, up, I, you, go, etc.)
mathematical development:
count, understand and recognise numbers up to ten, understand terms like 'greater', 'smaller', 'heavier', 'lighter', be aware of shapes and space and start to understand the concepts of adding or taking away.
knowledge and understanding of the world:
children will be expected to show an interest in exploring their world, finding out about the past, about different cultures and about everyday technology and how it is used.
physical development:
children should be able to move about confidently and with reasonable coordination.
creative development:
children should use colours and shapes to make things, learn how to tell stories, sing simple songs from memory, make music and dance

The Foundation Stage Profile
At the end of the Reception year children have completed the government's Foundation Stage of education and are about to start Year 1 and the National Curriculum. There are no formal tests at this stage but from summer 2003 a Foundation Stage Profile will be drawn up for each child finishing their reception year.

This profile replaces the old Baseline Assessments, and covers the six areas of the government's Early Learning Goals. There will be no formal tests that can be passed or failed. and children should not be aware they are being assessed. The Profiles will be based on teachers' observations during normal classroom activities.

For details on how you can help your child, including online learning activities, click here.

Please remember: it is natural for children to reach developmental and educational milestones at different times. This guidance only applies to most state schools in England. If your child is struggling, talk to his teacher, health visitor or GP. Otherwise, give him time & encouragement and don't worry!