Nursery World - EYFS review: 'Slimmed down' EYFS and payment by results for Sure Start children's centres

The number of early learning goals in the EYFS will be radically reduced, in plans set out by the Government in its response to the Tickell review.

The aim is to make the EYFS less bureaucratic and repetitive and help to involve parents more in how their children learn.

The proposals for a revised EYFS are out for consultation today by the Department for Education.

The reforms are part of a range of wider policy announcements due in the next few weeks regarding support for parents and pre-school children, under the banner ‘Families in the Foundation Years’.

Ministers have accepted Dame Clare Tickell's recommendations in her review of the EYFS published in March, including bringing the number of goals in the EYFS down from 69 to 17 and a focus on three 'prime' areas of learning, in place of the current six areas.

Children will continue to be assessed at the end of the EYFS, but the scale point assessment will be simpler and restricted to 17 goals.

Other proposals outlined today include £3m to pilot payment by results in children’s centres in 30 local authority areas, and a consultation in the autumn on plans to make the free entitlement for nursery education more flexible for parents.

'School readiness'

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