Quest Taster Pages

Introduction
This Quality evaluation support tool (Quest) has been developed in response to
requests from leaders and managers of early years settings for guidance on what
high quality Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) practice looks like. Quest offers a
framework and an approach to help settings maintain and continually improve their
high quality provision.
Why does high quality early years provision matter?
Research consistently shows that high quality early years provision makes a positive
difference to outcomes for children, particularly those from disadvantaged
backgrounds. Children who experience high quality early years provision have
better social and emotional development and capacity to learn – qualities that are
crucial for school and adulthood.
This evidence base underpins the Quest framework.
What is Quest?
Quest is an aspirational framework, designed for all early years providers, whether
school, group or home based. It offers a refl ective structure which will enable a
whole staff team to work together to develop a shared understanding of what high
quality looks like in practice. They will articulate what they already do well, identify
what they still need to do, and plan how to get there, using Quest as a structured
guide.
A key strength of Quest is that it can be completed in any order, with no set
timeframe. Central to the Quest approach is that the whole staff team is involved
so that everyone’s voice is heard as they:
• Assess the quality of their provision and compare it to best practice, as indicated
by Statutory EYFS and Ofsted requirements and current trends.
• Refl ect on their provision from the point of view of the child, keeping children at
the heart of everything that happens by considering ‘What is it like for me here?’.
• Identify and celebrate areas that are working well.
• Identify areas for potential improvement and plan how and when to implement
changes.
“Students who had
attended high quality
pre-schools were more likely to
achieve 5 A*-C including English
and maths.” (p.12)
Taggart,B; Sylva,K; Melhuish,E; Sammons,P and
Siraj, I (2015): Effective pre-school, primary and
secondary education project (EPPSE 3-16+):
How pre-school infl uences children and young
people’s attainment and developmental
outcomes over time; Research Brief;
Department for Education; London
“Learning begins from
birth, and high quality early
education and care has the
potential to make an important and
positive impact on the learning,
development and wellbeing of babies
and young children, in their daily lives
and the longer term.”
Nutbrown, Cathy (2012) Foundations for
Quality: The independent review of early
education and childcare and childcare
qualifi cations; Department for
Education; London
4 Quality Evaluation Support Tool
QUEST Quality Evaluation Support Tool © Bath and North East Somerset Council Early Years Service
Quest toolkit A4 aw.indd 4 21/03/2018 14:26