Its Finally Here

[HappyMaz]

Since the EYFS officially comes to life tomorrow morning, I've been pondering how its all going to go and whether life will be very different from here on in. I realise this might be the shortest thread in the history of the Forum, but I wondered what positive thoughts you can offer on the advent of the EYFS and what your hopes might be.

 

Personally, I'm hoping that I can remember that four principles underpin the EYFS and that the "development matters" statements are one commitment of one of the principles. I will try to remember what Margy Whalley said: that the best care and education for our children will be provided when we concentrate on all four principles equally and that if we focus solely on what she calls the "4.4 curriculum" we will be unsuccessful in improving outcomes for children.

 

What do you think?

 

Maz

[Marion]

Sorry to be the spectre at the feast but I'm feeling very negative for the future of reception classes within EYFS. Once again I have a feeling of not belonging.

[Guest]

I so agree Marion - I feel even worse as I am the only teacher in a FSU - both FS1 AND FS2, I feel that the 4 principles are good guidance but the EYFS is trying to cover too many age ranges and different types of childcare - it's spreading itself too thinly. I fear that children will not benefit as much as they can and that some dedicated child carers may give up altogether - I am particularly thinking of some really great child minders I know. They feel downtrodden by the demands already!

[zigzag]

Personally I am trying to think positive about the whole thing. If I dont I may well give it all up. Have just completed our first medium and short term plan ready for when we go back to pre-school on Thursday, they seemed to go ok but only time will tell. I just really hope that they will stick to this longer than they did birth to three!!! Will be interesting to see what we all think about it in a years time. One thing that me makes cross is that we have one fantastic childminder in our village who has now finished due to the pressure of the EYFS. This is a real shame as she was great.

Edited August 31, 2008 by zigzag

[Guest Wolfie]

The thought of dedicated and high quality childcarers taking the decision to quit as a result of the implementation of the EYFS saddens me greatly.

 

It suggests to me that the whole preparation process and period for the EYFS may not have been used effectively be some authorities to assure these people that their existing practice will easily fulfil the requirements of the EYFS. Frome reading the numerous threads and comments on here, it is clear that some parts of the country have offered a lot more support and encouragement than others.

[hali]

oh that is very sad that practitioners are giving up over this!!! and i agree with wolfie about differing parts of the country giving less support to make the change over easier.

 

Personally i am looking forward to working with it after looking at it for so long and just hope my team and i can focus on all principles equally - which im sure with gentle reminders we will

[Marion]

According to Nursery World 7000 childminders have left the profession since EYFS was announced.

[Guest]

Personally I cant see it being very much different to how we as a setting have been practicing already. We know that all children are unique and as such different tactics are taken to help them to progress and settle into the setting. For positive relationships again dont we do this already? We speak to eachother respectfully and encourage the children to form strong and positive relationships with all others in the setting discussing and celebrating our differences so that everyone feels included.

 

For an enabling environment I am sure everyone on here is working within this also already. I know that we have our areas zoned off for quiet and noiser we have areas for children to be physical and role place and have continuous provision available so that children are able to learn new skills and got back and repeat them again and again so that they are mastered.

 

Even for learning and development not that much has changed in reality. For me it is more of a case of remembering the new way of wording things rather than actually making any major changes to what I am doing already.

 

I am saying all of this however I could be completely wrong only time will tell, but myself I am more hoping that it is not a whole new way of working just a different way of looking at things

 

Debs

[Marion]

I don't see the content as any different from what preceded it BUT I am very unhappy with the way reception is marginalised and seems to be only mentioned in terms of the EYFSprofile in literature provided for parents.

[Guest]

After what seem like months of looking through all the materials in the pack and one the CD Rom (it seems to have taken all summer!) I'm not sure how I feel about it all. On the one hand I am really excited about learning journeys, having a key person, observations for planning, the status outdoor play now has (not for me but others!) and how there is 'back up' when people unfamiliar with the EYFS say 'but their just playing!'.

 

But at the back of my mind there is still thoughts about certain ELGs (writing!) and 'targets' set from further up that tend to filter back from the pressure of testing. It will be interesting to read peoples comments as they experience using it.

[aan]

i would just like to wish you all the best as EYFS day looms - good luck to every one, i know i am asconfused as every one else. what was wrong with what we was achieving before. i know i had happy children and happy parents. why change!

[Guest]

I'm trying to see EYFS as a positive and hoping it will actually improve the standard of care some childminders provide - it varies SO greatly.

Hopefully the training they've been offered and the thought of the SEF will make them honestly reflect on their practise.

I know of 5 childminders in Halesowen who have stopped minding completely at the start of the summer holidays and 2 others who will now only offer before & after school care to avoid EYFS paperwork.

Reactions were similar, though, when Social Services inspections were replaced by Ofsted and again when Birth to Three was introduced.

However, like all of you I've spent hours reviewing and tweaking paperwork (& hours on here to find out how! ) and now have to wait and see if Mrs O likes it, too!

Good Luck to us all over the coming days & weeks!!

Nona

[Inge]

My biggest hope is that it is here for a while and will not be changed drastically agin in 2 years time, i seem to have spent the last few years, jumping through hoops to make the latest change work. every Ofsted i have had over the last few years has had different criteria and we never seemed to know what to expect...

 

For us it has been positive, we can at last have full sessional daycare.. we were not able to before..(long story) So as well as EYFS we now have complete change to routine, hours, sessions, etc etc and our poor parents are having to learn to cope and change as well. Luckily they are supportive.

 

Our planning has just been tweaked, and is in fact less now than before, we have begun to trial a new format which seems to work, we are adding to it this term, observations just been formalised a bit more than before, we did all the rest already, Biggest bugbear is the change of wording for the same thing and having to search through policies etc to make sure it has been changed.. I am sure we will miss some even with several of us checking them.

 

Now we just Pray.. with a new manager, new opening hours, and eyfs, and that dreaded new poster to put up we know who will turn up beginning of the term......

 

Inge

[Guest]

I thought i was alone in this world of EYFS

im so glad i found this forum.

already some of you have replied to me and i feel a little better

AM I Ready well as ready as ill ever be, im sure we will get better with eyfs as we work with it,

as a childminder and not accredited i didn't even work with the foundation stage but birth to 3,

I hope my Network Coordinators will keep an eye on us and help as and when i might be going wrong

i realy feel for thoes who have the responsability at the end of reception year and all the added work they must have

i know i couldn't do it!!!

 

GOOD LUCK TO US ALL

 

aNDREA X

[Guest]

I ve got mixed feelings

 

Like Nona i m hoping it will help improve the practices of some childcarers out there,but sad that good childminders are giving up because of it .There are 2 good childminders from our former group(long story) that have given up because of it and 2 more have vowed to stop before their next inspection.

 

 

I like many have spent many hours typing and tweaking and searching this forum for clues .I ve got my own system in place but I m sure its far from perfect.We ll all just have to take a day at a time and hope we dont all get buried in paperwork !!

 

If only we knew what the dreaded "O" wanted !!

 

I do know though that what ever our setting we ll all be doing our very best for the children in our care ( or we wouldnt be on here wondering and worrying )

Here s to us all

 

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

[Guest]

I see it as a work in progress and will continue to do what I love most - help children reach their full potential by doing what they do best - PLAY! And just take pictures of everything and share it with the parents. I am quite excited by the free scope it has given practitioners and the ability to personalise it a lot more than the old FS. It will take a while, but hopefully with some tweaking it will all come good.

What I'm looking forward to most is throwing out all the various folders we have cluttering up the place - B23 and FS.

[Deb]

I think it's generally a positive thing, although it has been a lot of work getting ready for it, thankfully made easier by knowing we're all in the same boat and the support on here.

[Guest]

i know it is a worring time for alot of people but having something to work on for me was a very positive experience, for any of you that have read threads from me before i took over a pre school with no planning or observation in place let alone looking at the needs of individual children so when last year the new EYFS was looming i took it with both hands and ran with it, i'm not saying i know all their is to know about it and i feel scared about all the implementations with the new framework but with very positive feed back from my PSLA officer and my EYFS planning officer i feel confident to go on. i believe i probably had it easier because i didn't have to change the system from one that was already in place but as others have said if you are confident in the practice that you have been implementing previously then you are just going to enhance the practice by introducing new methods and knowledge for yoursleves, staff and ultimatley the children. don't panic! with all new things problems arise and can be changed and learn't from to make them better

[beth1]

I can't belive it here tomorrow.

 

I feel that this FRAMEWORK (please get this right) is good as I can't wait to get my teeth into the framework proper on Tuesday (still cant belive its time to go back to work) for me I can use 1 framework instead of 2 different planning. It will be work in progress until it beds in like the B23 matters was like at first. Surely in 2 years time we will be able to tell the govenment what works and what isn't.

 

 

Beth

[Guest]

I would like to pronounce September the 1st as the official EARLY YEARS FORUM SUPERSTARS DAY, to be celebrated annually in recognition of all the hard work, support and professional comradeship (spl) shown to each other by every FSF member, from every aspect of the early years profession, in the build up to the EYFS launch.

 

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL and each day enter your settings with a large PROUD smile on your face knowing that you will be offering our children a 'montage of memorable moments' that they will carry with them all their lives.

 

 

Peggy

[HappyMaz]

I would like to pronounce September the 1st as the official EARLY YEARS FORUM SUPERSTARS DAY

Great idea. Is there a commemorative medal, Peggy?

[Guest]

Great idea. Is there a commemorative medal, Peggy?

 

 

um medal, sorry no, but when my head feels less fragile (night out with my mum last night, it was her 79th birthday ), I shall create an EYFS certificate for everyone and upload it tomorrow.

 

Peggy

[HappyMaz]

um medal, sorry no, but when my head feels less fragile (night out with my mum last night, it was her 79th birthday ), I shall create an EYFS certificate for everyone and upload it tomorrow.

Ooh, happy birthday to Peggy's mum! No doubt she was thoroughly spoiled!

[Guest]

reading the board at 3:30am as its D-Day.....HELP

[Guest]

I can't sleep either biccy, must be the excitement for tomorrow, thank goodness the children don't start until Wednesday.

 

Or it could be worrying about my daughter on a flight from Hong Kong!

 

Either way, I must get some sleep, I must get some sleep.....

[dublinbay]

Been up since 5 this morning. Feeling excited to be going back to work this morning. Also confident that most things are in place.............paperwork etc sorted by the manager so that's one less worry for me.

 

This time last year we changed our room around so children could have access to resources. We threw our door open so they could take activities outside if they wished and began planning to their interests. We will continue to do what we have been doing.......... playing and having fun.

 

Yes there is the paperwork but with a bit of tweaking here and there I think we are just about sorted. I am looking forward to creating Learning Journals for the children and filling it with photos, observations, comments from parents and children and pieces of art they have created.

 

Only time will tell if the EYFS can really work and I look forward to trying to make that happen.

 

I look forward also to recieving my EYFS certificate from Peggy!!!

 

Good luck everyone!

[Guest]

Morning everyone, happy EYFS day....yes it's here! Not back into work with children until Wednesday but using the next couple of days to make sure we are ready. I'm looking forward to it...I think! We have been running the sessions very free flow for about the last 1 1/2 years now so that side of things doesn't change.......no topics/themes, child led, key persons, door open so children can free flow in/out throughout the session etc etc. The paperwork side of things has been tweaked a little here and there and I guess only time will tell on that.

 

I've had a lot of help and advise on here so many thanks everyone.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

[katekit]

Morning everyone, happy EYFS day....yes it's here! Not back into work with children until Wednesday but using the next couple of days to make sure we are ready. I'm looking forward to it...I think! We have been running the sessions very free flow for about the last 1 1/2 years now so that side of things doesn't change.......no topics/themes, child led, key persons, door open so children can free flow in/out throughout the session etc etc. The paperwork side of things has been tweaked a little here and there and I guess only time will tell on that.

 

I've had a lot of help and advise on here so many thanks everyone.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

Also up at 4am I couldn't even remember what the 4 principles were called, had to get the document to check!

[Guest]

Something for the staffroom wall?

Early_Years_Foundation_Stage.doc

Every_Child_Matters.doc

[Guest Wolfie]

Very useful reminders LJW - thanks for those!