Inge Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) Look here for latest news release... edit to add.... just noticed at end is a link for consultation on new eyfs framework... Edited July 6, 2011 by Inge
Annie-pops Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 Is it just me or is working in Early Years becoming a bit like dancing the 'Hokey Cokey' ... "You bring a policy in, you bring a policy out ... You bring a policy in, then you shake it all about!!" ????
Inge Posted July 6, 2011 Author Posted July 6, 2011 it always has been.. in 20 years I was never inspected on the same curriculum twice! it was always a change and we never really knew what was expected of us.. I tended to just carry on with what I felt best and came full circle from my original training with EYFS..
luluj Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 Thanks for this Inge. First chance I've had to look at the 'revised' 17 ELG's. Think Annie-Pops has summed it up in one! luluj
hali Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 ive just walked into a daycare today that are closing due to budget cuts parents and staff distraught - i wish the Government could have been there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Annie-pops Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 It's so sad isn't it Hali. Seems to be so many settings struggling. We've had a flurry of enquiries the last few weeks as a playgroup near us is closing. Looking at the proposals in the press release, I wouldn't be surprised if our playgroup becomes unsustainable in the very near future. We can't be flexible in our hours and I think it will get to the point where it will be impossible to expect staff to do any more unpaid work than they already do The government are always banging on about serving the needs of parents but all they seem to be doing is trying to make a one size fits all childcare provision, resulting in settings closing and a reduction in parental choice. The manager of our setting has been saying for ages that she thinks they are trying to get rid of sessional playgroups by stealth and I'm beginning to think she may have a point!
Annie-pops Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 Just a question as an after thought ... it mentions a review of the progress of all 2 year olds!!! Are the health visitors going to come in and do this?? or the Early Years Advisors?? I am guessing not ... I suppose that will be us lot again will it!! What with saving the OFSTED inspectors a job by giving us the SEF to fill in I'm sure we could all do with a bit more writing and worry to fill our evenings! We can feel Tesco beckoning, and in our setting this would mean we'd be on a higher rate of pay!
Rea Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 The manager of our setting has been saying for ages that she thinks they are trying to get rid of sessional playgroups by stealth and I'm beginning to think she may have a point! I had the same thought as soon as they started saying they wanted children to have free access to the outdoors. I know we're not the only setting who just cant do it due to being in a church hall with no garden.
Emmawill Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 Just a question as an after thought ... it mentions a review of the progress of all 2 year olds!!! Are the health visitors going to come in and do this?? or the Early Years Advisors?? I am guessing not ... I suppose that will be us lot again will it!! What with saving the OFSTED inspectors a job by giving us the SEF to fill in I'm sure we could all do with a bit more writing and worry to fill our evenings! We can feel Tesco beckoning, and in our setting this would mean we'd be on a higher rate of pay! Funny enough I said today morrisons check out would be so much easier!! Have I read this right are we now also going to have to assess using achieveing, exceeding excelling... or whatewver they were or is that just for reception classes?
Sharky Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 Hi, Thanks for this. I've had to print the framework off so that I can read it several times to pick out the important bits. At first glance, it does look simpler and less paperwork eventually. Of course, every single piece of our current paperwork will have to be changed to fit the new framework so initially there will be lots more paperwork and the expense of ink and paper and my time at the computer doing it all. Not sure about the 2 year olds and as for getting them ready for school!! Interesting though. Sharky.
suebear Posted July 6, 2011 Posted July 6, 2011 just read the press release, thank you for posting the link "New plans, to be consulted on in the autumn, to enable parents to access their free entitlement hours from 7am-7pm, and take the full 15 hours over two days rather than a minimum of three days" they're children up to 5 yrs old is it just me who thinks they should be in bed at home at 7pm?????? "Exploring how we can find new ways of running children’s centres, such as mutuals and co-operative approaches, so parents and communities can be more involved in local decision making and services. New requirement on all local authorities to publish data on how much they are spending on children’s centres in their area to improve local accountability" ie. the govt aren't going to keep paying for them......
Guest Posted July 7, 2011 Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Regarding the use of funding across two days 7am-7pm, I agree about them being at home in bed by 7pm and a lot of research seems to agree with that too, or at least with children needing a lot more sleep than they might otherwise be getting. Also didn't we all debate this when the SFF was being brought in, and wasn't it concluded that using funding over such long days was only of benefit to the parents and the government push to full employment, and most certainltonot in the best interests of the children themselves? I guess that doesn't matter much anymore. Edited July 7, 2011 by Guest
thumperrabbit Posted July 7, 2011 Posted July 7, 2011 Sorry I've only just logged on and seen this link, I haven't got time to read the review til later,and I really must start getting my children up for school!! Can anyone tell me are they actually reducing the amount of Development Matters?? I very much feel everything is based around schools and their reception and nursery children, what about childminders, pre-schools, playgroups, day nurseries who are doing all the million and one dev matters statements??
Guest Posted July 7, 2011 Posted July 7, 2011 Grrr to 15 hour entitlement over 2 days. This is not about free childcare to make things easy for parents, this is about free early years education to benefit children. 5 hours is plenty for one session
catma Posted July 7, 2011 Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) And which school nursery is going to have staff doing 12 hour days!! The teacher could do their directed time in 4 months!! It was always about adults in work - not about children. Everyone must respond to the consultation if we want to get these points across at all. Cx Edited July 7, 2011 by catma
eyfs1966 Posted July 7, 2011 Posted July 7, 2011 I have already sent in my reply. My real bug bear is the 24 to 36 month airy fairy report that we will be expected to write that is somehow going to magically make early intervention accessible for all children with additional needs. Clearly the implication is that WE never make referrals and that by just writing a report with the parent will kissy kissy the problem all better. To give you some context here, I have just spent all day with a child who clearly has additional needs. It has taken us 12 months to get mum on side to even have her child observed at nursery by a relevant professional, and I now find out that that he will be on her "waiting list" for a futher 12 months at least before being more formally assessed ( and that's assuming mum doesn't dig her heels in again). And all this for a child who joined us at 3, yet will be nearly 5 before "Early Intervention" is achieved. What a joke. I can not see how a report that would have to be agreed with mum and given to the health visitor would have possibly helped in this instance. And this is not a one off rant. Ths is the 3rd time in 3 years I have come up against the same problems. As for the rest of the report, I am actually fairly indifferent. I am also not keen on "school preparedness" nor "school readiness" but do agree that their must be a smoother transition between EYFS and KS1. I am also all for the reduction in paperwork, but MUST bring your attention to the fact that actually very little paperwork is actually REQUIRED under the current EYFS. The problem is that OFSTED and LEA's have misinterpreted the current EYFS and have themselves caused us all to drown under a mountain of record keeping, reports, procedures and lists. Do I believe that this is likely to stop???? NO BLOODY CHANCE!!!!!!! OK rant over..time for a stiff drink
eyfs1966 Posted July 7, 2011 Posted July 7, 2011 Have just posted my rant on the alternative thread that's running under something like "EYFS review". Have given my consultation reponse and would urge all others to do the same.
fairygarden Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 Interesting discussion, and good to have the opportunity to bounce thoughts off each other before answering consultation. My strongest reaction to the draft EYFS is that in no way should the phrase "School readiness or preparedness (hate that word, can't even spell it!) be used as if pre-school is some kind of bus stop on the way to proper education! However, whereas some people have strong feelings about the use of entitlement over 2 days, I disagree with your objections on two counts. 1) we open 7 hours a day, (just over a full school day). We have 3 children who attend just 2 full days to enable their parents to work. This means that we have to charge them 1.5 hours a week as the grant doesn't cover their 14 hours. However, these parents have chosen to work 2 school days and spend the remaining 3 at home with these children. It doesn't necessarily mean that everyone must open 7 - 7. 2) In the current climate many parents are working not through choice, but of necessity. Surely it is better that children have a couple of later nights than not having food on the table or a roof over their heads. Give these hard working parents a break! In terms of the dm and elgs, thank heavens they are being slimmed down, the current version is so clumsy, conflicting and unrealistic in some respects. Completely disagree about the ratios for EYPS / QTS etc. 1:13???? are they mad or what? Anyway Got that off my chest now to the actual reply to the consultation!
catma Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 Completely disagree about the ratios for EYPS / QTS etc. 1:13???? are they mad or what? That's what it is now though. Every nursery teacher has 1:13. What's infuriating is that reception is STILL 1:30. Cx
Cait Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 Catma, do you think we could all formulate a reply together, word it so it's as strong as it possibly can be, covering all the points we're raising across these two threads and ALL download and send a copy ourselves to either local MP or the PM? There's a great deal of strength of feeling coming across
Guest Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 Hi, don't hate me but after reading the document I actually quite like it! I think any move towards less paperwork can only be seen as a good move so we can spend more time with the children I work in a preschool and to be honest the clue is in the name, it is pre school and should be helping to get them ready to be in a social environment learning through a mix of play, and activities both adult and child led. We are supposed to be working with children and parents on transition to school at the moment under the current EYFS and I see it as an enhancement to this. I have a teacher friend who works in year 1 and she has herself said because the EYFS is so child led through play up until end of reception there is a huge problem when children start year 1 and suddenly have to start doing more structured activities and work because they don't understand where all the 'play' has gone and why it has been replaced with working and learning. She has had numerous problems with children because of this and welcomes school readiness and a focus onto adult led activities before they start year 1 to help with a smoother transition. The report is an addition to what we currently do but would be willing to do it as the other paperwork should lessen and it will help to be in partnership with parents from early age. It is also important to bear in mind that most children should be between emerging and the expected category by time they leave to go to reception year and that the expected and exceeding category should be what is being attained by the end of the reception year. When I looked at these I did think where has the birth to two bit gone but the emerging section is very similiar to what we observe now for development matters. As I say please don't shout at me, I may have overseen something that you have picked up on and it is just my opinion.
suebear Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 Not shouting at all, we're all entitled to an opinion I've only read it once and was quite perturbed by it really... good to hear others opinions before I fill in my consultation form x
catma Posted July 10, 2011 Posted July 10, 2011 Catma, do you think we could all formulate a reply together, word it so it's as strong as it possibly can be, covering all the points we're raising across these two threads and ALL download and send a copy ourselves to either local MP or the PM? There's a great deal of strength of feeling coming across Cait, it's an idea but I also think that having perspectives from as many different parts of the sector as possible gives broader feedback. However I do think the perspectives here are useful to broaden our responses. It would need to have the consultation Qs as well. The difficulty is one man's negative is, as we know from this well behaved forum someone else's positive!! Cx
Cait Posted July 10, 2011 Posted July 10, 2011 Hmm, yes, it could be tricky. I found the consultation questions very 'leading', not allowing me to really answer them when I said my bit.
mundia Posted July 10, 2011 Posted July 10, 2011 Yes I hate those consultations that start with 'do you agree that'... I tend to just write lots in the boxes.
Guest Posted July 13, 2011 Posted July 13, 2011 Went to a 4children seminar yesterday - dfe rep was there and all I can say is please please respond in depth to the consultation as nothing is as yet set in stone. I made a strong plea for the retention of the early development matters and if enough people ask they will certainly look again at anything. We made a huge case for the problem of the two year old assessment - who do they think will do it if the child s not in a setting and it was clear they had not thought this one through. Again if enough people make the smae point they will think again.
suebear Posted July 13, 2011 Posted July 13, 2011 Thanks for that androyd, it makes me feel that it is worth filling it in.
Recommended Posts