Schools in revolt over under-5s curriculum

[mrz]

The ISC has come out against the imposition of the EYFS in England www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article4004420.ece
openeyecampaign.wordpress.com/open-eye-petition/

[AbbeyA]

I will bump it up. I don't think that people realise the implications of this legislation.
I would urge anyone to read the report in The Times and sign the petition.

[SmugColditz]

no, I don't realise the implications of this, I need someone to explain it to me in clear unbiased language, because I don't understand what's happening.

[WonderingWhy]

Need someone to explain too. Please.

[3andnomore]

signed

[3andnomore]

from what I understand, the new legislation would mean that even under 5's have to reach targets and stuff....I truely don't understand this highly pressurised system over here...I wish UK would adapt more of a swedish system...

[AbbeyA]

Everyone involved in early education will have to comply. Child minders, Steiner schools, anyone who has their own methods. It has a very worthwhile objective in that middle class children do better (in general)and it hopes to bring all children up to the same standard. Boxes will have to be ticked, endless observations will have to be made, so instead of interacting the teacher, nursery nurse etc will have to make notes. Children will have to learn phonics very early. Teachers will come under pressure to perform. Hopefully mrz will come back-I am not really involved much with early years. I will try and post a few links if I can find them. Read mrz's link for a start.

[AbbeyA]

This is a good article to read this page

[SugarSkyHigh]

we have been here before.
the eyfs is hardly any different to what is already in place, and if anything, makes life slightly easier for practitioners, who should be observing etc. anyway.
no children are required to meet targets, it's just a guideline as to what to work towards.

[AbbeyA]

The article that alarmed me and got me to sign the petition was this one in The Times last November.
this page

[AbbeyA]

I should read the articles SugarSkyHigh, a lot of educationalists are very concerned.

[3andnomore]

thing is, even if officially they may say "oh, there are no targets"...once targets are outlined, I would think that in order for an establishment to perform well, they would have to have a high percentage of children in their care meeting those targets...

[mrz]

From September the government are introducing a STATUTORY curriculum for all children from BIRTH to FIVE. Remember statutory education starts the term after a child's fifth birthday.
There are a number of objections to the imposition of the curriculum the important one for me as a parent is that it removes a parents right to choose the type of early experience they want for their child. All early years childcare (childminders, day nurseries, school nurseries, independent schools, pre school etc) will have to follow the same curriculum. It sets out up to 500 developmental milestones between birth and primary school and requires under-fives to be assessed on 69 writing, problem solving and numeracy skills and also legislates that staff should make constant written observations on children to note their progress, which many fear will interfere with teachers? ability to teach children.

[SugarSkyHigh]

okay, but the eyfs is play based and doesn't advocate 'formal teaching'
i think quite a few people have misinterpreted it. There are bits that need to be tweaked, but on the whole it is child centred and play based. , i have read various articles mainly in The Times, over the past months. i think some people are getting very alarmist!

[Anna8888]

"It sets out up to 500 developmental milestones between birth and primary school and requires under-fives to be assessed on 69 writing, problem solving and numeracy skills."

I'd like to know more.

[SugarSkyHigh]

early years practitioners are constantly 'assessing' the children anyway. any good practitioner should keep progress records, it's just good practice.

[3andnomore]

I don't think though that it will improve things...the teachers should have time to play with their charges...not observing them and shite like that...honest...I think it's a ridiculous thought really, sorry!

whatever happened to Kids just being Kids! Let them play and explore and let them built their personality...they have to go early enough to school, they then spend their life working...why this pressure..especially considering that, if looking at other systems, where there is no early years curriculum at all, they seem to fare so much better...

[3andnomore]

obviously I am aware that they already observe and keep records...so, why is that not enough then?

[SugarSkyHigh]

it is through intelligent observation of individual children that we work out how and why they need or want to play in a particular way or with particular things.

[mrz]

SugarSkyHigh what is happening on the ground is that many childminders are leaving. Since the EYFS was announced, we have lost nearly 7,000 childminders. That's nearly 10% of the childminders who were registered in December 2006. There are 2 more quarters' figures to be announced before the EYFS becomes law so I would expect to see that figure continue to drop as childminders attend the EYFS courses being provided by their local authority and find out just how much extra work they will be expected to do. In addition to that some pre schools are closing The legal implications of the EYFS statutory framework (especially the welfare requirements), together with the already demanding responsibilities of being Chair, are stopping parents from being willing to volunteer their time for this position and without a Chair, they have to close.

[SugarSkyHigh]

3andnomore, i hope you are not a practitioner! actually i don't think you can be, judging from your comments

[AbbeyA]

This article explains the petition.
this page

[SugarSkyHigh]

mrz, yes childminders are not my area.
i do concede that it problematic.
if i were childminding, this would be an imposition. But in a pre=school, i honestly don't think it should make much difference and i am quite sure that the 'assessments' and 'targets' are being blown out of proportion. ARe they actually CALLED 'targets' anyway? i don't believe they are

[SugarSkyHigh]

"Throughout the EYFS stress is placed upon understanding each child and their family as unique, with different needs and concerns.

Children?s development is presented under six overlapping phases. This overlap is intended to emphasise the fact that there can be big differences between the development of children of similar ages. At the same time age can be a cue, when taken with all other factors, to indicate that development may be atypical and that a child may need extra support."

copied & pasted from EYFS website

[3andnomore]

no I am not a practitioner..didn't think to have an opinion about this I have too...I have however been raised in a different country, germany, which obviously would shape my opinions...

[AbbeyA]

Read the comments that go with the last link.