EYFS Matrices

The EYFS Matrices have been developed to support early years settings to 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.​

​

All the relevant statements from Development Matters have been mapped to the relevant science topics in the National Curriculum in England: science programmes of study so schools can explain how science learning progresses from the EYFS to Year 6. However, ​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 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 Knowledge 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. To help early years settings identify the opportunities for including the science content from the matrices in the more common themes they use, there is a table at the front of the document that maps them to those themes.

​

There is an 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

• the prior and future learning either from Development Matters or the National Curriculum for that topic

• ​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

• 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

• texts that support the learning are suggested and linked relevant careers are listed for role-play

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

​

The EYFS Matrices can be downloaded from the 'Resources' section of this website or by clicking on the image below.​

​​