Children are learning from birth, and it is vital that their curiosity and natural desire to question and explore the world is nurtured. They learn most before the age of five and their attitude to learning is determined by what happens at this time. The benefit of good early years education is that it is appropriate for this age, and as embraced currently by the EYFS, there is an emphasis given to thinking, personal and emotional development and creative skills.
Practical activity is at the heart of what children do and how they learn. Assessing children's progress and planning for their further development is done through observation, not testing. Child-initiated learning is very important and teachers need the skills to enable this and a flexible curriculum that supports it.
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