In this essay I will present the curriculum systems for the 0-5 age group in England and Scotland. I will look in detail at the planning and assessment arrangements in these systems which enable early years practitioners to gain insight into and support children's learning. As far as possible, I will compare the practices of these two countries and formulate criticisms of each of them. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) was implemented in England in 2008 and applies to all children aged 0 to 5 years. This new program combined existing government ideas regarding the care of children under 5, including the Every Child Counts (ECM) policy: children's services must meet 5 outcomes for all children under birth to 18: to be in good health, to be protected from harm and neglect. , be able to profit and succeed, make a positive contribution to society and contribute to economic well-being. The EYFS statutory document sets out the need for a 'consistent and flexible approach to care and learning' (DfES - Department for Education and Skills 2007; cited in Palaiologou, 2010, p.11) , and guarantees a quality experience for children, whatever the situation. preschool setting. The EYFS and its direct predecessors were introduced on the basis of the observation that the quality of teaching and school management play a central role in the quality of children's learning, not the socio-economic and educational context , as previously thought. Early childhood education was seen as a method of helping children “break the cycle of deprivation” (Baldock, 2009, p. 20). However, research carried out by Potter just before the establishment of the EYFS concluded that due to "not sufficiently rigorous conceptual underpinnings, particularly in the area of ​​language and communication... middle of article.. .they improve results.” for disadvantaged children? International Journal of Early Childhood Education, 15(2), pp.171-180. [Online] Available at: www.informaworld.com (accessed April 29, 2011)Sylva, K., Taggart. B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Totsika. V., Ereky-Stevens, K., Gilden, R. and Bell, D. (2007) Curriculum quality and daily learning activities in kindergarten. International Journal of Early Childhood Education, 15(1), pp.49-65. [Online] Available at: www.informaworld.com (accessed 29 April 2011) Scottish Government (2004) A Curriculum for Excellence: The Curriculum Review Group. [Online] Edinburgh: Scottish Executive. Available at: www.scotland.gov.uk (accessed 27 April 2011) Scottish Government (2009) Excellence Program Evaluation, Strategic Vision, Key Principles. [Online] Available at: www.ltscotland.org.uk (accessed April 26 2011)