In the early years, children are developing the essential building blocks for thinking, reasoning, and learning. These skills help them make sense of their world, solve problems, and engage in play and exploration. For some children, differences in how they process information can lead to challenges in learning, known as cognition and learning needs.
Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding through experience, senses, and thought. Every child’s brain works differently, and these differences can affect how they learn and interact with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum.
EYFS learning and development links
Cognition and learning needs could affect progress across EYFS areas of learning:
- Literacy – word reading and writing.
- Mathematics – understanding numbers, patterns, and measures.
- Physical Development – fine motor skills for mark-making and writing.
- Understanding the World – exploring and making connections.
- Expressive Arts and Design – planning and creating.
For some children their individual pattern of strengths and needs means that they experience greater difficulty with learning than their peers. This might be with a particular aspect of learning. Some examples of cognition and learning needs may include:
- They learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation.
- They struggle with specific aspects of learning, such as reading, writing, or early maths concepts.
- They have difficulties with working memory, making it harder to follow instructions or retain information.
- They find problem-solving and reasoning tasks challenging, which can impact play and exploration.
Early identification and support
Early recognition of cognition and learning needs is essential in the early years. The EYFS statutory framework requires practitioners to plan for each child’s individual needs and interests, and to adapt provision so that all children can access high-quality learning experiences. This means responding to emerging needs and guiding development through warm, positive interactions.
If a child is not making expected progress despite high-quality teaching and differentiation, practitioners should consider ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ support. The SEND Code of Practice and EYFS principles work together through the graduated approach: assess, plan, do, review. This ensures that provision is tailored and reviewed regularly. The guidance within the Targeted Support Framework for the early years provides additional support with tailoring provision to meet individual children’s needs.