Unit 4

• Types of early years settings

  • Statutory provision
  • Private provision
  • Voluntary provision
• Statutory provision


  Provided in statute (by law) and is funded by the government
• Private provision


  A profit-making business where services are chargeable
• Voluntary provision


  Provided by charities or not for profit organisations and is set up to meet the needs of the child and their parents
• Compulsory school age


  Children are required by law to participate in education from the term after they turn five years old
• Early years provision is for children who are below compulsory school age
• Most children of compulsory school age will attend a school but some are home educated
• Local authorities are required by law to provide free early years provision for children who are under compulsory school age and meet the required funding criteria
• The Childcare Act 2006 stated that local authorities must provide funded places for all eligible three- to four-year-olds
• The Childcare Act 2016 then updated this to include provision for some eligible two-year-olds and extend the number of free hours for working parents
• Early years funding available

  • 15 hours per week free during term time for all children the term after they turn three up until they reach compulsory school age
  • 30 hours per week free during term time for all children the term after they turn three up until they reach compulsory school age if their parents are working and HMRC confirms they are eligible
  • 15 hours per week free during term time for children the term after they turn two if they are classified as disadvantaged
• If funding is not available, the early years provision will have to be paid for unless it is privately funded by a charity or not for profit organisation
• This provision is available through private settings that opened to meet the needs of children and families who were not eligible for funding
• Billy turned three in February, started a statutory nursery in April and attends for 15 hours per week during term time. His Mum does not work
• This would be fully funded because he started in the term after he turned three
• Jamal turned four in April, started a statutory nursery in March just before his birthday, and attends for 15 hours per week. Both his parents work
• This would be fully funded as he started more than a term after his third birthday
• Jamal would be entitled to 30 hours free during term time as his parents work but they need to apply for this extra funding
• Penelope turned three in July, started private nursery in September and attends 10 hours per week during term time. Her Dad does not work
• This would be fully funded as long as the private nursery has been approved for early years funding. She could attend for 15 hours per week fully funded
• Private nurseries have to apply for early years funding unlike statutory nurseries
• Cassie turned two in January, started private nursery in April, attends 15 hours per week during term time, her Mum is on benefits and Cassie has an EHCP for speech and language delay
• This will be funded as Cassie is classed as being potentially disadvantaged
• Pascal turned three in January, started private nursery in May, attends 30 hours per week all year long, and his parents work
• He would be entitled to 30 hours per week free during term time but the hours outside of term time will need to be paid for by his parents
• If he attended 20 hours per week all year, it would be fully funded as the hours can be used flexibly as long as they don't go over the hourly allowance for the year
• Freddie turned two in September, started attending the church playgroup the week after his birthday, and his Mum works
• There would be no cost involved even though his Mum works and he is only two, as this is voluntary provision which is funded by the church for the local community
• Early years settings


  • Private nursery
  • School nursery class
  • Creche
  • Childminder
  • Primary school
  • Playgroup or preschool
• Physical development activity


  • Provide opportunities to practice fine and gross motor skills
  • Provide large areas of space for children to run, jump, skip and climb
  • Provide small resources to encourage pincer grip
  • Encourage children to eat healthily and take care of themselves
• Cognitive development activity


  • Provide opportunities to think, recognise and remember
  • Provide children with resources that encourage problem solving and logical thinking such as jigsaws, shape sorters and exploration tables
  • Provide children with a wide range of activities that are based on their own prior experiences
• Communication and language development activity

  • Provide opportunities for children to communicate with a wide range of people, including both adults and children
  • Encourage listening and turn taking
  • Provide opportunities for children to expand their vocabulary and practice new words
  • Ensure the setting provides a language rich environment through displays, activities and labelling
• Social and emotional development activity

  • Provide opportunities for children to interact with others of various ages and backgrounds
  • Provide opportunities for experiences in the local community and wider world
  • Enable practitioners to co-regulate to support children to develop self-regulation
  • Provide opportunities to talk about emotions and consider the feelings of others
• Reasons that parents or carers might need their child to access an early years setting

  • To look after their child while they are at work or attending an interview or seeking work
  • To provide support with special needs of a child or provide some respite care
  • To provide training opportunities based on family needs – behaviour management techniques, cooking a healthy meal on a low budget, supporting reading
  • To participate in leisure and recreation activities that they may not be able to access at home with their child – Art and craft, fire pit activities, sports
  • To provide time to do adult activities such as shopping or going to the gym
  • To allow parents time to attend college to get better qualifications to enable them to gain employment
  • To learn how to support their child's development
• The EYFS provides all the key information for early years settings to enable them to educate and care for the children who attend the settings
• Four key concepts the EYFS aims to deliver

  • Quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress, and no child gets left behind
  • A secure foundation through planning for the learning and development of each individual child and assessing and reviewing what they have learned regularly
  • Partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers
  • Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported
• Aim 1: Quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind
• Aim 2: A secure foundation through planning for the learning and development of each individual child and assessing and reviewing what they have learned regularly
• Aim 3: Partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers
• Aim 4: Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported