Ofsted “Best Start in Life” series looks at the things that make high-quality early years education and how practitioners can make sure that every child gets the strongest foundation for future learning.
- Ofsted “Best Start in Life” Part 1 looked at why high-quality education matters and the wider context of curriculum and pedagogy
- Ofsted “Best Start in Life” Part 2 focused on the EYFS three prime areas of learning
- Ofsted “Best Start in Life” Part 3 spotlights the four specific areas of learning, being:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
Ofsted stress in Part 3, that there is no one single way to provide high-quality early education, saying they offer guiding principles that early years practitioners can consider. They also stress that the specific areas of learning are connected and build on each other. The report states:
“The specific areas of learning give breadth and richness to the early years curriculum. Areas of learning like ‘understanding the world’ and ‘expressive arts and design’ show how early learning is connected. Children accumulate knowledge to apply in different contexts. For example, children’s growing understanding of themselves as unique individuals, their family and their community gives them a pathway to learning about time and place.”
Another important aspect to consider is that Part 3 moves away from paperwork and policy, and dives into what really matters in practice: adult-child interactions, language development, play, and the environment. These elements aren’t about big changes or glossy paperwork: they’re about refining everyday practice and helping all staff work consistently and confidently on the things that make the biggest difference.
These include:
1. A calm, consistent and curious environment
Children learn best when they feel safe, settled, and secure. Well-ordered, consistent settings with clear expectations tend to support better learning. However, this is not about having strict rules, but about creating a space where children know what to expect and feel confident to take risks with their learning.
Think about:
- Creating smooth and predictable transitions
- Whether all staff model the calm behaviour they want to see
- Making the physical space inviting, focused, and available to all
- Whether children are confident to ask for help, solve conflicts, or take turns
Simple changes in layout, routine, or tone of voice can make a big difference to children’s experiences here.
2. Strong communication and language development
These are at the heart of all early years learning and are often referred to as the “golden thread” running through high-quality practice. Part 3 puts renewed emphasis on how practitioners help children develop vocabulary, express their thoughts, and engage in meaningful interactions throughout the whole day. Remember, all conversations can become powerful learning opportunities whether part of a structured lesson or just standing in the lunch queue. Think about:
- Using clear, rich language all the time, not just during planned activities
- Giving children space and time to respond
- Narrating your actions
- Using open-ended questions
- Reducing background noise
- Supporting quieter children through one-to-one moments
- Modelling language in context
3. Skilled adult interactions
The quality and consistency of adult-child interactions is a key theme in Part 3 focusing not just on what you do, but how you do it. Again, this is not about having practitioners who hover over children or simply observe. Instead, skilled practitioners can:
- Tune into a child’s thinking and go with it
- Extend learning with a well-timed comment or question
- Introduce new vocabulary naturally
- Scaffold problem-solving
- Model curiosity, kindness, and awe
4. A well-sequenced, inclusive curriculum
The prime learning areas are foundational, but the four specific areas bring breadth and richness. Part 3 reviews each of these in detail, but the overall message is that learning is best done through strong adult guidance, purposeful play, and plenty of opportunities for children to revisit, reflect and make connections. For example, best practice suggests:
- Using books, songs and rhymes to build vocabulary and support early literacy
- Introducing mathematical concepts through daily routines, stories, and games
- Exploring the natural world through real experiences, questions and discovery
- Encouraging creative expression through open-ended materials, non-judgment and drama
Literacy
Literacy gives children the tools to communicate, understand the world and express themselves. It lays the foundation for later learning across the curriculum.
Key take-aways include:
- Prioritise the development of communication and language before formal teaching of phonics or writing
- Inspire a love of books, rhymes and songs from the earliest age
- Use shared book reading and storytelling to build vocabulary, understanding and enjoyment
- Remember that literacy is not a standalone subject but links to all other curriculum areas
Mathematics
Mathematics builds children’s reasoning, pattern recognition and problem-solving skills. Early confidence can help later success so:
- Plan a curriculum that builds an understanding of numbers, basic operations and spatial reasoning
- Combine intentional teaching with play opportunities
- Use a step-by-step, sequenced approach to gaining knowledge
- Use CPD to train and develop practitioner’s confidence and subject knowledge
- Encourage positive attitudes to maths using curiosity and fun
Understanding the world
This area helps children make sense of their surroundings, develop a sense of time and place, and understand their own identity.
- Build on children’s personal experiences with stories and songs
- Use examples and real-world experiences to learn about time, place, people, and technology
- Use stories and experiments to understand cause/effect and change
- Strengthen children’s sense of identity, belonging and cultural awareness through diverse and inclusive practice
Expressive arts and design
Part 3 acknowledges that creativity matters, giving children the chance to explore, express themselves and connect with their imagination.
- Include visual arts, music and performance in your daily activities
- Ensure all children, including babies, have opportunities for sensory and creative exploration
- Introduce tools, materials and new ideas gradually and revisit them regularly
- Help children to talk about their own and others’ art, and use their imagination to experiment
- Use drama/role-play, movement and storytelling to connect creativity with communication and wider/social learning
Other considerations
As practitioners, we know that the early years vital to life-long learning. However, it’s also important to remember that not all young children get the same start in life. Differences in attendance, funding, resources and help at home mean that high-quality early years education is vital to its effectiveness.
Effective early education requires careful consideration of all aspects of the EYFS learning areas, including knowledge of how they are taught. The different areas of learning need a tailored but connected approach and high-quality interactions with practitioners who engage directly with children, rather than just observing, are crucial. Activities alone aren’t sufficient, but if all the pieces are in place, the children can thrive.
Ofsted References and resources
Best start in life: a research review for early years – GOV.UK – access to all parts
Best start in life part 3: the 4 specific areas of learning – GOV.UK