Nursery World - Renewed call for early years curriculum to be extended up to seven

Play and well-being must be at the centre of young children's development and learning after the coronavirus crisis, when children return to early years settings and school, say campaigners.

Once the coronavirus crisis is over, young children will need a curriculum with well-being and play at its core, say campaigners

A petition calling for the EYFS to be extended up to the age of seven has been re-launched in response to the pandemic.

Originally started in 2016, it has received 43,000 signatures, and has gathered nearly 1,000 more since it was re-launched on Monday (13 April).

The petition calls for a rethink in education in school with a developmentally appropriate early years curriculum for all children extended up to Key Stage 1 (KS1), saying that the current EYFS already offers this.

Government plans to reform the EYFS should be brought to a halt, it says, and the Department for Education should reflect and act on the sector’s consultation response and the early years sector's coalition Getting it right in the Early Years Foundation Stage literature review.

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