People and communities

EYFS Framework Guide: Understanding the World

What is Understanding the World?

In the EYFS framework, Understanding the World (UW) is one of the four specific areas of learning.

It involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Three aspects of Understanding the World in the EYFS

People and communities

TechnologyThe world

Helping children to learn about people and communities

Understanding the World covers most aspects of the area of learning and development which was called ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World’ in the original EYFS framework.

People and Communities covers the previous aspects ‘Time’, ‘Place’ and ‘Communities’. It encourages children to talk about past and present events in their own lives and the lives of family members. Children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and between families, communities and traditions.

How can we support young children to learn about people and communities?

Attitudes and ethos

The physical environment

Links to the prime areas of learning

Supporting different ways of learning

Building partnerships with parents

Our attitudes and ethos• Are all members of staff excellent role models in

showing respect for individuals and their differences at all times?

• Do all practitioners recognise the importance of babies and toddlers staying connected with their home environments when they attend our setting?

• Could we do more to discover the routines, interests and experiences which the children encounter at home?

• Do all members of staff recognise the value of the notion of the early years setting as a community of children and adults?

• Is our early years setting an established part of the local community, reflecting the local area?

Physical environment• Do we regularly take babies and toddlers for walks in the local environment to help

develop children’s interest in their local environment?• Are all practitioners familiar with the local environment of our setting, recognising its

potential for fostering children’s knowledge and understanding of people and communities?

• Could we do more to engage with the local community?• Could we improve the range of resources which we provide to ensure that they reflect

the cultural differences of different sections of the local community?

Links to the prime areas of learning

• Have we considered making family books to create links with the children’s families and home environments?

• How often do we take children to the local library to join community activities such as storytelling?

• What other things could we try to make sure that children’s sense of belonging to a family is reinforced?

• How well do the children understand the importance of following instructions and behaving in an appropriate manner when out on visits in the local environment or when speaking, and listening, to visitors?

Supporting different ways of learning

• Are we aware of the things which interest individual children in their immediate environment?

• How well do we succeed in maintaining a family atmosphere where individuals, their likes, needs and differences are respected?

• How well do we extend children’s learning by encouraging visits and visitors?

• Are there times during the day when siblings of different ages can be together?

Building partnerships with parents• How well do we know individual children’s family members?• Do we use techniques such as a ‘holiday bear’ to engage with

families and encourage children to share their cultures, routines and traditions?

• How well do we make sure that we are inclusive, including all families in the life of our setting, not just those who are eager to be involved?

• Could we improve how we work in partnership with parents to ensure that staff, children and parents are all familiar with the requirements for developing an understanding of different cultures, beliefs and traditions by the children in our setting?