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The New Importance of Fundamental Skills in the EYFS

3rd February 2025

 

In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on fundamental skills in the EarlyYears Foundation Stage (EYFS). These core skills provide the essential building blocks for later learning, ensuring that children develop a strong foundation for literacy, numeracy, communication, and personal development. With a growing focus on depth of understanding, it is crucial to have clarity on what fundamental skills are and how to ensure children achieve deep knowledge of them by the end of the EYFS.

What Are Fundamental Skills in the EYFS?

Fundamental skills are the key abilities that underpin all learning in early childhood. They include:

  • Communication and Language: Speaking, listening, and understanding.
  • Physical Development: Fine and gross motor skills, coordination, and movement.
  • Personal, Social, and Emotional Development (PSED): Self-regulation, social skills, and independence.
  • Literacy: Early reading, phonics, and mark-making.
  • Mathematics: Number sense, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning.
  • Understanding the World: Exploring concepts related to people, places, technology, and nature.
  • Expressive Arts and Design: Creativity, music, and imaginative play.

 

Why Is There a New Focus on Fundamental Skills?

The EYFS framework highlights the importance of deep learning rather than surface-level understanding. Key reasons for this shift include:

 

School Readiness: Ensuring children are equipped with the skills they need for primary education.
Long-Term Success: Strong early foundations lead to better academic outcomes later.
Development of Independence: Supporting children in becoming confident, resilient learners.
Bridging Learning Gaps: Addressing disparities in development to give every child an equal start.

How Can You Achieve a Deep Knowledge of Fundamental Skills?

To ensure children achieve deep knowledge of fundamental skills by the end of EYFS, practitioners must focus on high-quality interactions, rich experiences, and sustained learning opportunities.

Learning Through Play

Encouraging open-ended activities where children can explore, question, and problem-solve.
Providing hands-on experiences that promote curiosity and active engagement.

Scaffolding and Modelling

Using adult-led and child-led learning to support skill acquisition. Demonstrating language-rich interactions to enhance communication and vocabulary.

Repetition and Mastery

Embedding skills through continuous practice and reinforcement. Revisiting key concepts to ensure consolidation and fluency.

Observation and Personalised Support

Assessing children’s progress to tailor learning experiences to their needs. Providing targeted interventions for areas requiring additional support.

Practical Activities to Deepen Understanding

  • Here are some effective strategies to help develop deep knowledge of fundamental skills:
  • Phonics Games: Interactive activities that reinforce letter-sound correspondence.
  • Maths in Everyday Life: Encouraging counting, measuring, and problem-solving in real-world contexts.
  • Storytelling and Role-Play: Enhancing language and communication through imaginative play.
  • Physical Play: Activities that support coordination, balance, and fine motor control.
  • Sensory Exploration: Engaging children with materials that stimulate touch, sight, and sound.

 

Measuring Success: Signs of Deep Learning By the end of EYFS, children should:

  • Communicate their thoughts effectively and engage in conversations.
  • Demonstrate confidence in early reading, writing, and number recognition.
  • Show independence in problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Display curiosity and persistence in learning tasks.
  • Form positive relationships and regulate their emotions effectively.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Ensuring clarity on fundamental skills and providing children with opportunities for deep, meaningful learning is essential in the EYFS. By prioritising high-quality interactions, active exploration, and consistent reinforcement, we can help young learners build a strong foundation for future success.

  • Product Reviews
  • Site Reviews
05/31/2022
Yasmine
United Kingdom
These are beautifully made and really useful for extending my more able.
05/28/2022
Emma B.
United Kingdom
This training was fantastic. Really made me think and reflect on ways to improve. Just brilliantly honest and straight to the point.
05/19/2022
Charlotte K.
United Kingdom
This is great we have printed it out and we use daily for the Nursery children for a short Phonics activity. It has saved me loads of time and is really well thought out and each activity is clearly explained so the staff know what to do. Each time they teach Phonics they are becoming more...This is great we have printed it out and we use daily for the Nursery children for a short Phonics activity. It has saved me loads of time and is really well thought out and each activity is clearly explained so the staff know what to do. Each time they teach Phonics they are becoming more confident with presenting.
05/08/2022
Miss G.
United Kingdom
This is so helpful to give to parents. A great help. Thanks
05/01/2022
Mary
United Kingdom
This is so amazing thank you so much for making plans appropriate for Early Years!
03/14/2022
jane
United Kingdom
Very please with my purchase, brilliant phonics activities.
01/03/2022
amy
United Kingdom
Really helpful planning - good ideas.
11/23/2021
Jill.R
United Kingdom
Great Book, really helpful phonics planning. Would definitely recommend when teaching phonics to children.
09/20/2021
Mrs C.
United Kingdom
Highly recommend this informative phonics book. Everything you need to know about phase 1 and explained in good detail.
08/06/2021
Jayne
United Kingdom
This was absolutely brilliant, thank you x
04/30/2021
Candela M.
United Kingdom
I love this! Thank you very much, I was wondering if there was an editable version for this please? Does it have all of the development matters objectives?
10/22/2020
Mrs C.
United Kingdom
gREAT PLANNING FOR DIWALI, ESPECIALLY THE MUSIC THAT WE CAN PLAY DURING OUR PE LESSON OR PLAY WHILST WE MAKE OUR RANGOLI PATTERNS OR DIVAS. THANK YOU , A GREAT RESOURCE.
10/02/2020
Claire H.
United Kingdom
This training is superb! Such an important message that all schools need to hear with regards to behaviour management! The science of how the brain works really helps to show how crucial it is to build strong nurturing relationships and how we as adults need to self regulate before we can support...This training is superb! Such an important message that all schools need to hear with regards to behaviour management! The science of how the brain works really helps to show how crucial it is to build strong nurturing relationships and how we as adults need to self regulate before we can support children to do the same. Some powerful thought provoking messages about how we need to respond to children's emotions and behaviours and some great tips to try to support children's wellbeing. Thank you for this fabulous training.
09/16/2020
Mary S.
United Kingdom
I am an NQT and in Reception for the first time, this is so helpful for me to teach my children the basics and ease gently into phonics to ensure all of my children are ready before we start phase 2. Thank you so much for making my life easier!
08/26/2020
Debbie
United Kingdom
This PPT is great. Could you give me an idea of the tune to the goodbye song please. Thank you, Debbie
08/25/2020
Jill
United Kingdom
Great resource
03/27/2020
Jorgia H.
United Kingdom
I loved this and enjoyed making something for the birds in the garden. We watched them eat it and used the bird spotting sheet to see which type of birds they are.
03/11/2020
Jane
United Kingdom
This is a really helpful display.
03/07/2020
Claire
United Kingdom
Thank you for creating these. They look perfect for exploring pattern and loose parts play. I will be printing these to use in my class asap. I love the patterns use loose parts as well as natural resources too!
03/06/2020
Lisa
Hong Kong SAR China
Great sound mat. good detail
03/05/2020
Claire
United Kingdom
These statements are fab for using on display and save teachers so much time! I will be printing these and getting them up in my new displays asap!
01/17/2020
Rebecca
Spain
Lovely handout to give to parents , every parent should read this ! Thanks.
12/13/2019
Bonnie
United Kingdom
I love these cards, lovely pictures and great for my children to use with sentence writing.
11/28/2019
Zoe.H
United Kingdom
Thanks. Going to use these cards today.
11/15/2019
Rachel
United Kingdom
Thanks for creating this Bingo resource. Any plans to create more suffix word resources ?
10/23/2019
jenny
Japan
Just download, got some great planning ideas. Thanks.
10/01/2019
Sara-Jayne
These are an excellent resource, as you can adapt for what you need in your setting. thank you.
08/28/2019
Miss G.
These are great, just what I've been looking for.
08/26/2019
Heather R.
would highly recommend this resource to any year 1 teachers. It's got everything you need.
08/26/2019
Zoe M.
Just printed this off, thanks - just what I was looking for.
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