Early Years
The Thomas Coram Research Unit (TCRU) at the Institute of Education, University of London was commissioned in early 2006 to determine if and how we might extend the Healthy Schools approach into the early years setting.
The overall aim of the study was to create an evidence base upon which decisions could be made about how best to encourage health-related activities in early years settings. The study comprised a review of guidance/interventions, interviews with relevant stakeholders, a survey of Local Coordinators and case study collation. A copy of the full TCRU December 2006 report is downloadable here.
At the same time as the TCRU scoping study, the Department for Education and Skills were developing and consulting on their Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework. Towards the latter part of 2006, the Healthy Schools Central Delivery Unit worked with DfES colleagues to ensure core health principles were appropriately covered within the EYFS Framework. The Framework now has a much greater emphasis on health aspects - including nutrition, physical activity and emotional health and well-being.
The Framework comprises the legal and statutory guidance for all early years settings along with other important messages and good practice guidance. Therefore, EYFS will provide a very positive mechanism for health to be mainstreamed into the early years system.
Link to EYFS Framework available in March 2007
In response to the TCRU study and the opportunities created by the EYFS Framework, we have carefully considered the role that the NHSP Programme should play in the healthy early years agenda. The EYFS provides a Framework for ensuring the delivery of core health principles within an early years setting. It has been agreed that the NHSP could therefore play a valuable role in working alongside early years organisations and practitioners to provide professional advice and guidance to help raise health standards. We have attached below a number of documents for those healthy schools coordinators that are interested in providing that support for early years settings.