Characteristics of Effective Learning

I have spent the past couple of months reading up on anything and everything to do with the revised EYFS in preparation for 1st September and have discovered that in addition to the 7 areas of Learning and Development there is a huge emphasis on how children learn and how this underpins all learning.

The way in which children engage in activities, are motivated to learn, and think creatively are vital to a child's development.

The Characteristics of effective learning are:


Playing and exploring – engagement

• Finding out and exploring
• Playing with what they know
• Being willing to ‘have a go’

Active learning – motivation

• Being involved and concentrating
• Keeping trying
• Enjoying achieving what they set out to do

Creating and thinking critically – thinking

• Having their own ideas
• Making links
• Choosing ways to do things

I have now revised my observation records to include the Characteristics of Effective Learning and I hope to monitor and audit my continuous provision to ensure I vary the way in which children have opportunities to learn and to support each child's preferred way of learning.