Early years insights

How the Shaping Us Framework can be used in early years

04 February 2025 Sarah Charlton

The Shaping Us Framework is a framework developed by The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to highlight the importance of social and emotional development in the early years.

I was delighted to see the launch of the Shaping Us Framework from The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. As someone leading teaching and learning in nurseries, with a background in primary education, I know first hand that social and emotional skills are the key to children’s success—both at school and in life.

Reading Kindred’s School Readiness report last week about the disparity in understanding of ‘school readiness’ between parents and professionals, alongside the government’s commitment to improve this critical area, it’s clear that we’ve been missing a shared consensus on the skills and capabilities that matter most. I hope the Shaping Us Framework will help address this gap by providing a universal language to facilitate meaningful conversations among educators, support training, and guide discussions with families about their children’s development.

What is the Shaping Us Framework?

The Shaping Us Framework is a framework developed by The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to highlight the importance of social and emotional development in the early years.

It identifies 30 key skills that are essential for children’s growth and well-being, organised into six core clusters: Know Ourselves, Manage Our Emotions, Focus Our Thoughts, Communicate with Others, Nurture Our Relationships, and Direct Our Actions. The clusters provide a clear roadmap for supporting children’s development in a way that is both structured and adaptable to different early years settings.

What sets this framework apart is that it’s grounded in evidence-based research and it emphasises practical application. Because it’s designed not just for early years professionals but also for families, policymakers, and communities, it offers a shared language that I hope will help us provide children with the best possible start.

How does it fit with the Early Years Statutory Framework?

The Shaping Us Framework works alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Development Matters by providing additional depth and offering specific skill clusters that complement EYFS goals. This alignment helps nurseries like ours create learning environments where children thrive—not just academically, but socially and emotionally, too. For educators and families alike, it’s a step towards ensuring every child has the strong, confident start they deserve.

What can early years educators do to support children learn the skills in the Shaping Us Framework?

At Ark Start, we have always prioritised developing a deep understanding of child development within our teams, with a special focus on how to actively support children’s social and emotional growth. We integrate emotional literacy into circle time, encourage empathy through storytelling, and support conflict resolution during free play.

For example:

• Circle Time Discussions: Create opportunities for children to talk about their feelings, identify emotions using emotion cards, and discuss strategies for managing them. This supports the “Manage Our Emotions” cluster.
• Role-Playing Scenarios: Setting up role-play areas encourages children to take on different roles, helping them understand perspectives, practice empathy, and navigate social situations—key for “Nurture Our Relationships”.
• Mindfulness Activities: Using simple breathing exercises, guided visualisations, or quiet reflection times help children focus their thoughts, supporting the “Focus Our Thoughts” cluster.
• Storytelling with a Purpose: Choose books that highlight themes of friendship, kindness, and resilience. After reading, engage in discussions about characters’ emotions and choices to support “Know Ourselves” and “Communicate with Others”.
• Problem-Solving Challenges: Provide activities that encourage teamwork and critical thinking, such as building structures with blocks or solving simple puzzles together, to support “Direct Our Actions”.

This approach ensures that social and emotional development is not treated as an add-on but is woven throughout the daily routine, creating a rich, supportive environment where every child can thrive.

To see how we bring these strategies to life in our nurseries, discover more about our approach.