Early Years Foundation stage

Received an e-mail from 10 Downing Street today.. I'm quite used to digital communications from there as they are also one of my Twitter friends.

The message pointed to the government's response to the EYFS petition.

Details of Petition:

“We recognise the government’s good intentions in its early-years policy-making, but are concerned about the EYFS legislation, which comes into force in England next September. Our concerns focus on the learning and development requirements, as follows:

1. They may harm children’s development

2. They will restrict parents’ freedom of choice in childcare and education

3. Their assessment profile requirements may place an unnecessary bureaucratic burden on those who care for young children

4. Recent evidence suggests that government interventions in education generally may not be driving standards up and may be putting too much pressure on children.”

The full response can be read here but two paragraphs to hold on to are:

"The EYFS does not prescribe the approach that schools and providers have to use in their everyday practice, other than an emphasis on the importance of play. It simply sets out statements of what children can be supported to achieve, and the developmental milestones that most – though not all – should reach by around the age of 5.

The only statutory requirement to write anything down is that practitioners must complete an EYFS Profile for each child in the year in which they turn five – reception class at primary school for most children. This is intended to help inform future policy, and to support teachers in understanding children’s needs when they enter Key Stage 1 of primary school"