Nursery World - Enabling environments: Around the nursery

What is 'continuous provision', why is it so important and how does it fit into the Early Years Foundation Stage? In the first of a new series, Jane Drake examines what practitioners need to be providing on a daily basis.

To meet the commitments of the new early years framework, and to put principles supporting children's development and learning into practice, it is important that settings assess the quality of their 'continuous provision' - that is, the provision that is available daily to children, indoors and out, and comprises sand, water, construction, mark-making, role play and so on.

Effective 'continuous provision' offers children a constant environment that:

- is safe but challenging

- allows them freedom, independence and choice

- recognises their need to be active learners

- supports their learning and development across the six areas of the curriculum.

To be of a high quality, areas of provision need to be:

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