National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years: statutory guidance - Audience and overview

Standards 7.9 to 7.11 do not apply to Out of School provision, although relevant elements should still be considered desirable as good practice 

Child’s voice: I can choose how I play and have fun learning and trying new things that interest me.

Well-being outcome: Children have fun from a range of engaging experiences, including freely chosen, unstructured and self-directed play, that contribute to their emotional, physical, social, intellectual, language and creative development.

The registered person is responsible for ensuring that:

7.1 The child’s individual needs are met, and their welfare is promoted by planning and providing play opportunities and activities to promote emotional, physical, social, creative, linguistic and intellectual development.

7.2 Resources, play opportunities, first-hand experiences, and activities provided aid children’s development and build on their natural curiosity.

7.3 Children are given opportunities to be active, indoors and out, as well as time to relax.

7.4 Children have opportunities to play and learn outdoors.

7.5 An effective environment is one that encourages children to be confident, independent and develop their self-esteem, to respect others and develop a sense of what is right and wrong.

7.6 Positive relationships are built with children and their parents to facilitate a good understanding of individual needs and home circumstances.

7.7 The National Standards on Children and Young People’s Participation are applied to the way in which the service is delivered with: 

• Enabling adults who listen to and value what children say, talk with them about what they are doing and actively encourage them to explore their full potential.
• Opportunities for involving children in decision making, evaluating and planning on a variety of levels are explored.

7.8 Resources are organised so that they are readily accessible to children and staff are deployed to support children’s play and learning.

7.9 What children do is observed, noticed, analysed and responded to, to help plan the next steps for children’s play, learning and development.

7.10 When providing care for children under 2 years of age:

• Children interact with a consistent adult at frequent intervals throughout the day. 
• There is clear planning of activities for babies.

Settings funded to provide nursery education

7.11 The principles of Curriculum for Wales are understood and applied in a developmentally appropriate and inclusive way to support the holistic development of all children.

Settings not funded to provide nursery education

7.12 Non-funded settings are encouraged to incorporate the ethos of Curriculum for Wales into their practice.

To assist providers, the principal regulatory requirements underpinning this standard are outlined below, followed by relevant guidance. Providers should note that neither list is exhaustive, and that providers must have regard to standards relevant to their service and the circumstances concerned.

Regulation 9 - Registered person: general requirements

Regulation 20 – Safeguarding and promotion of welfare

Regulation 24 – Health needs of children 

Regulation 27 – Staffing 

Regulation 37 - Fitness of premises 

Enabling learning - Hwb

Pedagogy - Hwb

Assessment arrangements for funded non-maintained nursery settings - Hwb

Bilingual-Participation-Standards-poster – Children and young people’s participation standards 

Curriculum and assessment arrangements for funded non-maintained nursery settings - Hwb

Overview - Professional learning: foundation learning support for practitioners in schools and settings – Modules - Resources - Hwb

Flying Start childcare: guidance [HTML] | GOV.WALES

Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care: Reflective Practice Toolkit