Unit 13: Understanding the world: past and present

Past and present is one of the three aspects of understanding the world, one of the four specific areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Children are expected to reach the early learning goal at the end of the EYFS in the reception year at primary school.

All staff need to be confident of their role in developing children’s understanding of this area of learning and development whatever the age of the children they work with. It is important to remember that different approaches are appropriate for different ages of children and different children will progress in their understanding at different rates.

Participants will:

• know the early learning goal in relation to past and present
• understand how to interact with children to aid their understanding of roles and lives of people around them as well as similarities and difference between the past and present
• know how to organise the environment and recognise what resources will support children in this area of understanding the world
• gain confidence in planning for this area of learning and development for children of different ages and stages.

Step 1: Introduction (5–10 minutes)
Step 2: Ideas to support the goal (10–15 minutes)
Step 3: Plan an activity (5–10 minutes)