All Modules B6-Development Matters in the early years | Page 3

Children are born ready, able and eager to learn. They actively reach out to interact with other people, and in the world around them.
Development is not an automatic process, however. It depends on each unique child having opportunities to interact in positive relationships
and enabling environments.
The four themes of the EYFS underpin all the guidance. This document - Development Matters - shows how these themes, and the principles
that inform them, work together for children in the EYFS.

Themes

A Unique
Child

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Positive
Relationships

Positive relationships are

• understand and observe each
child’s development and
learning, assess progress, plan
for next steps

Practice

Children learn to be strong
and independent through
positive relationships.

Practitioners

Principles

Every child is a unique child
who is constantly learning
and can be resilient, capable,
confident and self-assured.

• warm and loving, and
foster a sense of belonging

• support babies and children to
develop a positive sense of
their own identity and culture
• identify any need for
additional support
• keep children safe
• value and respect all children
and families equally

• sensitive and responsive to
the child’s needs, feelings and
interests
• supportive of the child’s
own efforts and
independence
• consistent in setting clear
boundaries
• stimulating
• built on key person
relationships in early years
settings

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Enabling
Environments

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Learning and
Development

Children learn and develop well in
enabling environments, in which
their experiences respond to their
individual needs and there is a
strong partnership between
practitioners and parents and
carers.

Children develop and learn in
different ways. The framework
covers the education and care of
all children in early years
provision, including children with
special educational needs and
disabilities.

Enabling Environments

Practitioners teach children by
ensuring challenging, playful
opportunities across the prime
and specific areas of learning and
development.

• value all people
• value learning
They offer
• stimulating resources, relevant
to all the children’s cultures
and communities

They foster the
characteristics of effective
early learning

• rich learning opportunities
through play and playful
teaching

• Playing and exploring
• Active learning
• Creating and thinking critically

• support for children to take
risks and explore

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