The PLAN EYFS resources have been developed to support subject leaders and early years teachers introduce children to the foundational knowledge of science, featured in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years and Development Matters, that will enable them to be well-placed to access the science National Curriculum in England at Key Stage 1.

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If you are not familiar with the EYFS, the Statutory Framework for the Early Years and Development Matters, you may wish to read our Introduction to science in the EYFS before reading on.

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The PLAN EYFS resources include topic matrices for Nursery and Reception and the PLAN Summary of Science in EYFS which provides an overview of the science content within the matrices.

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The PLAN EYFS matrices have been linked to the relevant topics from the National Curriculum in England: science programmes of study so subject leaders can explain how science learning progresses from the EYFS to Year 6. All the relevant statements from the ‘Understanding the world’ area of learning and development from Development Matters, which contains the science content in the EYFS, have been mapped to the relevant science topics in the National Curriculum and included in the PLAN Progression in Knowledge.

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It is important to make clear that, though the science content from Development Matters has been linked to the relevant topics from the National Curriculum in the PLAN EYFS matrices, this should NOT be taken to indicate that the content should be taught as topics in early years settings, as they might be in Key Stage 1 and 2. Unlike the PLAN matrices for Years 1 to 6, the EYFS matrices are not intended to define content coverage or be used for assessment purposes. They simply provide ideas for how children can be introduced to the foundational knowledge of science either through continuous provision or typical themes used in early years settings.

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Matrices

There is a PLAN EYFS matrix for each relevant topic from the National Curriculum for each year-group in the EYFS for which there are statements in Development Matters. There are only Electricity and Plants matrices for Nursery, and Seasonal changes and Earth and space matrices for Reception, because there aren’t relevant statements in Development Matters for these topics for the other year-group. Each matrix includes the relevant statement(s) from the ‘Understanding the world’ area of learning from Development Matters that link to the topic, as well as any linked statements from the other areas of learning. Each matrix also includes the prior and future learning either from Development Matters or the National Curriculum for that topic.

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There is then a section entitled ‘Creating appropriate experiences to initiate learning’ which sets out what adults might provide and do to facilitate the learning, including encouraging scientific enquiry, as well as vocabulary that children should use and supplementary vocabulary that children might be exposed to but not necessarily be expected to use. Common misconceptions that children may have are identified, texts that support the learning are suggested and linked relevant careers are listed for role-play.

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The final section of each matrix, ‘How the children might show their learning’, provides examples of what children might be doing or saying that would demonstrate their skills or understanding.