To support childcare and early years practitioners with their delivery of curriculum and assessment for children in the early years, the Welsh Government have developed a suite of documents:
These documents embed the mandatory elements of Curriculum for Wales within an appropriate pedagogical framework that focuses on the needs of the developing child through five developmental pathways. The documents should be used by Enabling adults, to support development of appropriate engaging experiences, effective environments and pedagogy whilst emphasising play as a fundamental right for all children.
A Quality Framework for Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care in Wales
This explains the key ideas that should guide schools and settings to improve their practice. It helps practitioners to:
- make sure children’s rights are at the heart of everything they do
- support the overall development of every child, including their physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth
- plan, carry out, and review activities that work well
- reflect on their teaching
- help children transition smoothly between home, school, and other settings
- identify what they need to learn and improve professionally
- use self-evaluation and quality tools to keep improving
A Quality Framework for Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care in Wales
Developmental pathways 0-3 years
This guidance sets out a framework for ensuring quality provision for all children from birth to age 3. It focuses on what is important for children’s development and how we can best support them to grow and develop in ways that suit their stage of development. It has been co-constructed with practitioners and specialists across the education and childcare sectors.
The document uses the same language and development pathways as the ‘Curriculum for funded non-maintained nursery settings’ to support smoother transitions throughout children’s learning and development up to the age of 5 years.
Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care: Developmental Pathways 0 to 3
A curriculum for funded non-maintained nursery settings
The curriculum for funded non-maintained nursery settings has been developed through co-construction by practitioners, for practitioners.
What is it?
It is expressed from the viewpoint of the practitioner, drawing on expertise from across our non-maintained sector, and on the views of experts in the field of child development and early education.
It has been developed to support the work with children at the very beginning of the 3 to 16 learning continuum of Curriculum for Wales, to ensure they have the best possible start on their journey.
How does it affect your setting?
Settings funded to deliver nursery education will be required to deliver this curriculum framework or a curriculum they have designed themselves that meet the legislative requirements.
As stated within the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years (7.11) – “Non-funded settings are encouraged to incorporate this curriculum into their work.” It is expected that non-funded settings will ensure that the principles of the curriculum are understood and applied in a way appropriate to the age, abilities and stage of development of children in their care and the nature of the provision.
Assessment of children 0 to 3 years
This Early Childhood, Play, Learning and Care (ECPLC) guidance document has been developed through co-construction by practitioners, for practitioners.
This guidance has been written to support the needs and development of all babies and young children from 0 to 3 years of age, taking into account their background and prior experiences, recognising and valuing their identity, culture, ethnicity and language. It recognises that every baby and young child is unique, and it supports their holistic development and progress by keeping their needs at the forefront of quality early years practice.
We should use this guidance, along with our knowledge and experience, to reflect and respond to the individual needs of all babies and young children in our setting.
Document due to be published September 2025.
Assessment arrangements for funded non-maintained nursery settings
These assessment arrangements have been co-constructed with key partners to support practitioners in funded non-maintained nursery settings which have adopted the curriculum for funded non-maintained nursery settings.
The arrangements take account of the needs of all learners and recognise that their identity, language, ability, background and prior learning, as well as the support they may need, will differ according to their particular circumstances.
These arrangements will also support settings to:
- understand progression in children’s learning
- apply the principles of progression in practice
- develop a shared understanding of progression across the setting
- use observation to inform provision that supports children to make progress
- know about and implement initial and ongoing assessment arrangements
Engaging with parents and carers
Parent and Carer Engagement: toolkit for nursery settings
This toolkit will help settings explain the curriculum changes to parents and carers, and how this will impact on their children. The resources include a poster, newsletter template and key messages to be promoted through social media, and advice on how settings might fulfil the legal requirement to publish a summary of their adopted curriculum.
Parent and Carer Engagement: toolkit for funded non-maintained nursery settings
Nursery and early education videos
These videos help practitioners support parents and carers understanding of how Curriculum for Wales will support younger learners:
Further guidance and resources
Further Welsh Government resources and guidance for childcare, play settings and schools on early childhood play, learning and care for 0 to 5 year olds in Wales and Curriculum for Wales can be found through the following link: