Parenta's October Magazine

Are the proposed Are the changes proposedto
EYFS necessary?
changes to EYFS
necessary?
Tes reports that the proposed changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
framework would harm what is already a “world-class” set of guidelines.
In a study produced by a coalition of 12 early
years organisations, “Getting it right in the
Early Years Foundation Stage: a review of the
evidence”, they highlighted that side-lining
self-improvement in the educational plan, and
setting out objectives for pre-schoolers for
language proficiency or numeracy abilities,
could be “adverse” to children’s education.
The report is a response to the Government’s
planned changes to the EYFS and was
launched on the 16th September. As well
as the coalition, it used findings from a
survey conducted with 3,000 early years
practitioners.
The Department for Education issued a review
of early learning goals in July of last year.
The new proposals were tested in 25 schools
across the country and aimed to reduce
the workload of early years teachers when
collecting assessment data, as well as closing
the “language gap” between disadvantaged
children and their peers.
However, “Getting it right in the Early Years
Foundation Stage: a review of the evidence”,
suggests that the review was in fact “a
comprehensive rewrite of the EYFS Statutory
Framework”.
The report continued:
“Many in the early years sector were surprised
that such an extensive process of change
had been embarked upon with very little
engagement with sector representatives and
experts.”
In the trial version of the EYFS, there is no
longer a need to check the children at the
end of reception year on their “shape, space
and measure” mathematical skills, or their
technology skills.
The report suggests that these goals should
be kept because of their “key role” in maths.
“Regarding shape, space and measures,
there is growing research to suggest
that, rather than omitting these from the
early learning goals, spatial reasoning, in
particular, should be fostered,” said the
report, and it questioned other suggested
changes.
“Focusing too soon on literacy and certain
mathematical outcomes during the
foundation years may be detrimental to the
longer-term attainment of those children
who are not yet secure in oral language
outcomes, including an understanding of
how language works in the wider social and
cultural context.
“Care must be taken that delivery of the EYFS
is not skewed towards particular areas of
learning at the expense of others.”
The “Getting it right in the Early Years
Foundation Stage: a review of the evidence”
report also suggested that there is little
to no evidence that the EYFS framework
should be changed, but it suggested that
greater prominence should be given to
characteristics of effective teaching and
learning, including playing and exploring,
active learning and creating, and thinking
critically.
Utilising the 3,000 survey responses received
from early years practitioners, the report
indicates that excessive workload is not
a result of the EYFS framework, but the
requirements from Ofsted about evidencing
children, as well as pressure from the
mangers and local authorities.
Practitioners also said that the “language
gap” doesn’t require changes to the
framework, with 87 percent saying that EYFS
meets children’s needs in communication
and learning “well” or “very well”.
They did mention that the early years need
more development in speech and language
therapy, as well as an increase in resources
to enable staff to have more time to spend
with the children and their parents.
The Government announced last year that
they plan of halving the number of children
starting school without reading or speaking
skills by 2028.
Chief Executive of Early Education, Beatrice
Merrick, said: “The EYFS is a world-class
framework that puts the child at the centre
of play-based learning. It’s not perfect – but
any changes need to be sensitive to what it
gets right.
“This extensive evidence base gives the
Government the opportunity to revisit the
proposed changes to the EYFS and come up
with a much-improved draft before going out
to consultation with the sector.”
The Early Years Alliance’s Director of Quality
Improvement, Michael Freeston, said: “This is
a significant report which needs to be taken
seriously by Government. The findings show
that the current framework is doing its job
– practitioners are happy delivering it and
children are getting the early education they
need.”
“That is the benchmark any changes to the
EYFS need to meet, and the best way for the
Government to achieve that is to ensure that
proposals are informed by robust evidence
before full consultation with the sector.”
The DfE was contacted by Tes for comment.
Should England Should exempt England nurseries from
paying business tax rates?
exempt nurseries
from paying business tax rates?
Scotland decided to exempt nurseries from paying business tax rates in 2017, which
started the following year. Derek Makay, Holyrood Finance Secretary, said that “Scotland
has always been a leader in education and childcare, and this is the first relief of its kind
anywhere in the UK.”
The changes in tax rates saved the
childcare industry in Scotland around £8
million each year and were praised by
Purnima Tanuku, NDNA’s Chief Executive,
who said: “We congratulate the Scottish
Government for its progressive thinking
regarding early years education.”
The Welsh Government followed Scotland,
and since April 2019, they exempted
nurseries from business rates.
Mark Drakeford, Welsh Finance Secretary,
said that this “will help to create new
childcare jobs, and help to create new
and maintain existing childcare places
across Wales.”
Former Welsh Minister for Children, Huw
Irranca-Davies, added: “By providing
enhanced support for the childcare sector,
we will further improve access to childcare
places, supporting working families
across Wales and make it easier for
people to take up and retain jobs.”
Kidz Kabin Nurseries owner, Linda
Symonds, said to the Parliamentary
Review:
“The UK government should follow
Scotland’s lead and abolish business rates
for early years settings.
“Many nurseries are struggling to provide
30 hours of ‘free’ childcare, especially as
local authorities do not pay the fees that
nurseries actually charge.
“Many fall short by 33 percent and
nurseries struggle to make up the loss.
“Since the government set up wraparound
care in schools, many nurseries are losing
children when they reach the age of three,
whereas previously we could rely on most
children of working parents staying until
they started reception.
“Furthermore, since educational
establishments are zero-rated for VAT, we
should be allowed to claim back VAT on
goods and services.
“With increases in the minimum wage,
pensions, rent and business rates – it
is not surprising that so many nurseries
struggle to survive.”
You can sign a petition to support this
here.
4 Parenta.com October 2019 5