Early Years
Children’s early years are the time between birth and the 31 August following their fifth birthday. By the time children are ready to attend preschool, they have already had a variety of experiences and have developed in a number of ways. In order to use and build upon the learning that has already taken place in the home and its immediate environment, early years education should provide children with a rich variety of play activities and other experiences in a stimulating and challenging environment.
Guidance to your child’s learning and development in the early years foundation stage. Please click here for more information.
From September 2021 The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.
Please click here for Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage.
All 3- and 4-year-old children are entitled to free early education and childcare places for up to 15 hours per week during term time. The free provision starts the term after their 3rd birthday.
There are also two schemes that enable you to extend these places to 30 hours of free early education for 3 and 4 year old’s.
- The government scheme for 30 hours of early education and childcare for working parents
- Further information and to apply
- A new Camden Enhanced Scheme for 30 hours of free early education for some families
- Is this scheme for you?
Some 2-year-olds are also eligible for 15 hours per week, free early education and childcare. See more here
The Child Development Team sees children from 0 – 5 years of age with complex developmental difficulties.
The team consists of a range of professionals including Paediatricians, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Dietician, Specialist Health Visitor, Clinical Psychologists, Child Psychotherapists, Therapy Assistant, and Key-workers.
The Inclusive Intervention Team (IIT) is a Camden Council service for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). They work with nurseries in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sectors and maintained nurseries and children’s centres in Camden. They support nursery settings to implement the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ cycle, as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice (2015).
