Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

‘Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting the high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.’

Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, 2021, 5

Introduction to the disposition exemplars

Religious Education in Birmingham is planned around 24 dispositions. These are qualities and values that the faith and non-religious groups in the city have agreed upon.

Primarily, the dispositions link to the ‘understanding the world’ area of learning. However, the ideas within the documents can link to all seven areas of learning, such as ‘personal, social and emotional development’, or ‘communication and language’.

The exemplars also provide ideas for how characteristics of effective learning can be fostered and modelled through the dispositions.

The exemplars of the 24 dispositions provide schools and settings with a range of ideas to support children to become understanding and respectful individuals within the community of Birmingham and the wider world.

How to use the exemplars

The exemplars have been created to support EYFS practitioners in making an enabling environment that recognises where the dispositions may be evident. The exemplars are non-statutory guidance to support practitioners.

Each disposition is structured similarly with:

a child-speak explanation of the disposition
dimensions of learning expressed as key questions
activities and resource suggestions such as books and weblinks
links to home and EYFS areas of learning

The continuous provision opportunities are by no way exhaustive. They simply provide a snapshot of what you might provide as part of your EYFS provision.

Ideally, as children’s ideas drive play and learning forwards, practitioners will refer to the suggestions and weave the activities and resources into everyday continuous provision. Activities have been suggested as discrete sessions and adult-led tasks.

There is not a prescriptive route and there is no timescale. There is no expectation at this point in a child’s education about the number of dispositions that will be covered. The 24 dispositions have been provided, so that you as a practitioner, have the choice.

It is anticipated that some dispositions will be covered several times and others will have a lighter touch.

You might like to emphasise a more familiar tradition as a starting point for understanding.

Importantly, our values-based approach ensures that the characteristics of effective learning are very likely to be being delivered within Birmingham SACRE’s approach to RE.

The surprise may well be that through cross-referencing from the dispositions you will find that you are encouraging SMSC and instilling British values; both of vital importance should parents or OfSTED question your practice in these expected areas of provision.

Page last updated: 7 February 2023