The Blossom Nursery Glossary - Early Years Pedagogy

From EYFS to XYZ, we’ve pulled together every term you might need to know to work, run, open or book your child into any childcare setting.

Whether you’re starting your childcare career or have never truly understood the difference between a grapheme and a phoneme — we have you covered.

Early years pedagogy

All early years providers use the EYFS Framework. The statutory information covers a variety of educational pedagogies.

Pedagogy is simply the combination of theory and practice in teaching.

A strong EYFS pedagogy gives nursery practitioners direction on supporting the babies and toddlers in their care.

We look at some of the well-used phrases and terms you may find with early years pedagogy.

Play-based learning

Where play is at the heart of learning. Children will engage with unstructured play as their primary exploration and development method.

Child-led learning

As it says on the tin, the children direct the form the game or play takes.

Learn more about child-led learning on our Blossom Blog.

Adult-led learning

Nursery practitioners will direct the play or learning through modelling. The end goal is to achieve a specific goal or demonstration of a skill.

Child-centred approach

Similar to child-led learning, the child’s interests, needs and abilities drive the opportunities for development.

Schemas

Schemas allow children to organise new information based on their understanding of similar topics.

For example, a child who has a cat at home knows it has four feet, a tail, and is fluffy. When they go to the zoo and see an Arctic Fox, they may say ‘cat’.

Metacognition

In short, it is the thinking behind learning. It examines how children learn as patterns to repeat in new learning situations.

Montessori approach

This child-led and hands-on approach, championed in the UK and Scandinavia, promotes active learning and independence. Measured risk-taking is encouraged in Montessori practices.

Curiosity approach

Where children are invited to learn through their own curiosity. Free play and unstructured activities are encouraged with the Curiosity approach.

Scaffolding

A nursery practitioner will model and scaffold the child’s learning to build independence through initial guidance and help.

Zone of proximal development

From the educational theorist Vygotsky, this term means the area of opportunity where a child learns the most, between what they can do without help and what they need assistance for, just outside their knowledge or skills.

Loose parts play

Loose parts play goes hand-in-hand with many of the child-led play approaches. Small natural or man-made objects can be used in whatever manner children see fit. A stick becomes a wand, for example.

Forest school

Integrating a number of the pedagogies discussed earlier like the Montessori approach. Forest schools use the natural environment to promote experiential learning and a connection with nature.

The EYFS curriculum

EYFS stands for Early Years Foundation Stage. There is no one set EYFS curriculum nurseries should follow in England. Several supporting documents give guidance and advice on what a broad coverage might look like.

However, the EYFS Statutory Framework is the document that sets out what skills and knowledge must be covered. How these skills and areas of learning are covered, is setting-specific.

The EYFS Framework

This is a statutory document that sets out what each early years provider must offer every child in their care. One of the changes EYFS experienced in 2024 was the framework change. The framework was split into two versions: one for group and school-based providers and another for childminders.