Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) Inclusion, Equality and Special Educational Needs Syllabus

Inclusion, Equality and Special Educational Needs syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Inclusion, Equality and Special Educational Needs in Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Inclusive Practice and Equality

   4 topics

   • Legislation underpinning inclusion
     • Equality Act 2010 and protected characteristics
     • Public sector equality duty
   • Anti-discriminatory and anti-bias practice
   • Celebrating diversity and cultural identity
   • Unconscious bias and reflective practice
2. 2

   Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

   4 topics

   • The SEND Code of Practice (0-25)
     • Graduated approach: assess, plan, do, review
     • The role of the SENCO
   • Identifying additional needs early
     • Areas of need under the Code of Practice
   • Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
   • Local Offer and accessing support services
3. 3

   Supporting English as an Additional Language

   4 topics

   • Stages of acquiring an additional language
     • The silent period
   • Valuing and maintaining the home language
   • Strategies to support EAL learners
   • Working with bilingual families
4. 4

   Meeting Individual and Diverse Needs

   4 topics

   • Differentiation and personalised learning
   • Supporting gifted and most-able children
   • Reasonable adjustments and accessible environments
   • Multi-agency working for complex needs

Inclusion, Equality and Special Educational Needs flashcards for Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS)

18 of 51 cards from the Inclusion, Equality and Special Educational Needs deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Which Act is the principal piece of legislation underpinning inclusion in England, protecting people from discrimination on the basis of nine 'protected characteristics'?

   The Equality Act 2010. It consolidated earlier anti-discrimination law and places a duty on settings not to discriminate against children, families or staff on the basis of any protected characteristic.

2. List the nine 'protected characteristics' defined by the Equality Act 2010.

   Age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation.

3. Under the Equality Act 2010, what are the four main types of unlawful discrimination?

   Direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. (The Act also covers discrimination arising from disability and failure to make reasonable adjustments.)

4. What is the difference between direct and indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010?

   Direct discrimination is treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination is applying a policy or practice that applies to everyone but puts people sharing a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage.

5. Which UN convention, ratified by the UK, sets out children's rights and underpins inclusive early years practice?

   The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), 1989. Article 2 (non-discrimination), Article 3 (best interests) and Article 12 (right to be heard) are especially relevant to inclusion.

6. Define 'anti-discriminatory practice' in an early years context.

   Practice that actively challenges and seeks to eliminate discrimination, prejudice and unfair treatment, ensuring every child and family has equal access, opportunity and respect regardless of their characteristics.

7. What is the difference between anti-discriminatory practice and anti-bias practice?

   Anti-discriminatory practice focuses on preventing unfair treatment and complying with equality duties. Anti-bias practice goes further, proactively examining and dismantling stereotypes and prejudice in resources, language and attitudes to foster respect for diversity.

8. What is the distinction between 'equality' and 'equity' in inclusive practice?

   Equality means treating everyone the same and giving everyone the same resources. Equity means giving each child what they individually need to reach the same outcome, recognising different starting points and barriers.

9. What does it mean to 'celebrate diversity' in an early years setting, and give examples.

   Actively valuing differences (culture, language, family structure, faith, ability) as a positive resource. Examples: dual-language books, diverse skin-tone resources, celebrating a range of festivals, displaying images reflecting all families, and inviting families to share traditions.

10. Why is supporting a child's 'cultural identity' important for development?

    A secure cultural identity supports self-esteem, sense of belonging, emotional wellbeing and confidence to learn. Children who see their culture valued develop positive self-image, whereas its absence can harm identity and engagement.

11. Define 'unconscious bias' (implicit bias).

    Social stereotypes and attitudes about groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness, which can unintentionally influence judgements, expectations and behaviour, e.g. lower expectations of certain children.

12. What is 'reflective practice' and which model is commonly used in early years?

    Reflective practice is systematically examining your own actions and assumptions to improve practice. A widely used cycle is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, Action plan.

13. Name two strategies a practitioner can use to reduce the impact of their own unconscious bias.

    Examples: reflective practice and self-questioning of expectations; seeking peer/supervision feedback; using objective observation evidence rather than assumptions; bias-awareness training; and diversifying resources and language.

14. What is the full title and current version year of the SEND Code of Practice used in England?

    The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years, statutory guidance issued in 2014 (came into force January 2015) under the Children and Families Act 2014.

15. What age range does the SEND Code of Practice cover, and which Act introduced it?

    It covers children and young people from 0 to 25 years. It was introduced under the Children and Families Act 2014.

16. How is 'special educational needs (SEN)' defined in the SEND Code of Practice?

    A child has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision to be made — i.e. a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others the same age, or a disability that prevents/hinders use of facilities.

17. What are the four broad areas of need identified in the SEND Code of Practice (0-25)?

    1) Communication and interaction; 2) Cognition and learning; 3) Social, emotional and mental health difficulties; 4) Sensory and/or physical needs.

18. What is the graduated approach to SEN support, and name its four-stage cycle.

    A cycle of increasingly individualised support repeated to match the child to effective provision. The four stages are: Assess, Plan, Do, Review.

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