Healthier Futures Barnsley

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework states the standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to age five.

 The EYFS framework:

  • sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well
  • ensures children are kept healthy and safe
  • ensures that children have the knowledge and skills they need to start school

The framework is for:

  • school leaders
  • school staff
  • childcare providers
  • childminders
  • out-of-school providers

It relates to:

  • local authority maintained schools
  • non-maintained schools (those not maintained by a local authority)
  • independent schools
  • academies and free schools
  • nurseries
  • private nursery schools
  • pre-schools and playgroups
  • childminding

Communication and language resources

The EYFS framework states the development of spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development.

The number and quality of their conversations with adults and peers is crucial. Commenting on what children are interested in or doing will be effective in helping build their language.

Reading to children and getting them to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give them the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, story telling and role play, children will use a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.

Resource Organisation Description
EYFS communication and language activities Famly Playful ways to encourage speech and language development.
Talking together project South Yorkshire Talking Together Project to help support communication in children.
Tiny Happy People BBC Activities and play ideas to develop language skills.
Start for Life NHS Helping to give children the best start in life.
Better Health Start for Life playlist National Literacy Trust Tips and activities for families to complete at home.

Physical development resources

The EYFS framework states physical activity is vital for a child's all-round development. It enables them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives.

Gross and fine motor experiences develop through early childhood. These develop a child’s strength, co-ordination and awareness of their position. This is done through tummy time, crawling and play with both objects and adults.

By creating games and ways for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop their:

  • core strength
  • stability
  • balance
  • spatial awareness
  • co-ordination
  • agility

Gross motor skills are the basis to develop healthy bodies and social and emotional wellbeing. Fine motor control helps with hand-eye co-ordination. This is later linked to early literacy. Children develop control and confidence through:

  • play with small world activities
  • puzzles
  • arts and crafts
  • the use of small tools
Resource Organisation Description
Core strength and co-ordination GOV.UK Learn about core strength and co-ordination as part of the EYFS. Includes advice from experts and activities.
Gross motor skills GOV.UK Learn about gross motor skills as part of the EYFS. Includes advice from experts and activities.
Fine motor skills GOV.UK Learn about fine motor skills as part of the EYFS. Includes advice from experts and activities.
Activity guidelines for early years GOV.UK Infographic showing the physical activity needed for general health benefits for children under 5.
UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines GOV.UK A report from the Chief Medical Officers in the UK. Covers the amount and type of physical activity people should do to improve their health.
Guidelines on physical activity for children under 5 WHO Booklet around the WHO guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age.
Better health, healthier families NHS Active hobbies and sports to get the family moving.
Road safety Think! Road safety teaching resources for children.

Personal, social and emotional development (PSED) resources

The EYFS framework states PSED is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives. It is fundamental to a child's cognitive development.

There are important attachments that shape a child's social world. Strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults help children to learn about their own feelings and those of others. Children should be supported to:

  • manage emotions
  • develop a positive sense of self
  • set themselves simple goals
  • have confidence in their own abilities
  • persist and wait for what they want
  • direct their attention as necessary

Through guidance from adults they'll learn how to look after their bodies. The includes healthy eating and being able to manage their own needs. With other children they'll learn how to make friends, co-operate and resolve conflicts. These will help them achieve at school and in their later life.

Resource Organisation Description
Vaccine boosters NHS Overview of the 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine. This is offered to children from the age of 3 years and 4 months to boost their protection against four serious conditions. These are: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio.
Sun safe nurseries Skcin National accreditation programme for nursery and pre-school settings. Free resources to help in the duty of care to safeguard children against UV and prevent skin cancer through education.
Accident prevention Child Accident Prevention Trust Information around child accident prevention.
Road safety resources Brake Help for schools and families to make a difference to road safety.
Screen time boundaries Childnet Advice about screen time and top tips.
How to wash your hands NHS YouTube video for the 'How to wash your hands' song.
Tiny Happy People BBC Help to develop a child's language skills. Simple activities and play ideas.
Menus for early years settings GOV.UK Example menus and useful guidance for early years settings to help meet the EYFS requirements for food and drink.
Healthy Start scheme NHS Help to buy food and milk.
Rose Vouchers for fruit and veg Barnsley Council The Rose Vouchers for fruit and veg project helps families on low incomes to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. This supports them to give their children a healthy start in life.
Eating well in the early years First Steps Nutrition Trust Advice about eating well in the first year.
Food facts NHS Advice around what’s really in the food your family eats.
Sugar smart world PHE Lesson for early years around using maths to find healthier swaps.
Brush DJ Brush DJ App that makes brushing your teeth fun. Available on the App Store or Google Play.
Help Duggee brush his teeth BBC Tooth brushing song and a game for children to earn a tooth brushing badge.
Growing up with healthy teeth Henry Video which looks at what we can do to help our children grow up with healthy teeth.
Healthy teeth guides British Society of Paediatric Dentistry Videos to inspire children to look after their teeth.
Healthy Child Programme (HCP) elfh Online learning for those working with pregnant mothers and children aged 0 to 5 years.
Food activities for 3 to 5 year olds Food - a fact of life Activity ideas and resources to support teaching young children about food.
Eating well for 1 to 4 year olds First Steps Nutrition Trust Poster showing seven easy steps to eating well.
See and eat - vegetables and support for early years Food - a fact of life Presentation for early years about vegetables.
Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years GOV.UK Report about feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years old.

Oral health resources

Resource Organisation Description
Oral health guide Barnsley Council Guide to promoting lifelong good habits and useful resources.
Kind to teeth social media images Barnsley Council Images for promoting the Kind to teeth campaign - located on our Help to share our message webpage.

Further resources

Resource Organisation Description
Better health, healthier families NHS Easy ways to eat well and move more.
Health for under 5s Health for under 5s Advice around health for children under 5 years old.
Infant feeding Barnsley Council Information around the Barnsley breastfeeding welcome scheme and how to join.
Early years policy guidance Barnsley Council This is the supplementary guidance to the early years setting: Food, drink, oral health and physical activity policy
Early years policy guide Barnsley Council Early years setting - Food, drink, oral health and physical activity policy (guidance for policy development)