Can we truly promote a play-based curriculum within our education system?

[IanM]

Whilst our early years curriculum promotes a sense of play-based learning can we justly embrace this when faced with an educational culture that places such high emphasis upon testing our children’s abilities?

 

Can we truly promote a play based curriculum within our education system.docx

Edited February 10, 2018 by IanM

[finleysmaid]

Hi Ian and welcome

perhaps you would like to introduce yourself before we all start to open your documents!!!! just in case you're one of those naughty people

[IanM]

Excuse me?

[FSFRebecca]

Hello Ian!

I think our friend FM was being cautious as you had posted a download link in an open forum area - it's nothing personal! I've moved the post to the research area of the forum as you will probably notice ...

Where are you going to be based for your research? 

I've read your piece ... that's quite a can of worms at the moment isn't it? I bet when the Bold Beginnings piece from Ofsted was published your eyes widened! Was there a particlar question that you would like the FSF community to think about on your behalf? We have had some success with 'Survey monkey' and questionnaires in the past. 

Look forward to hearing about your work as it progresses! 

[IanM]

Thanks Rebecca; apologies I am still finding my way around the site. 

 

It would be interesting to get others peoples views on this matter. As a early years practitioner I am keen to allow children to be leaders of their own learning, however with terminology such as school readiness can we truly allow this. What are other peoples thoughts, am I wrong in my judgement. I would appreciate other peoples input. 

[finleysmaid]

Hi Ian ..sorry I've been away so haven't been able to catch up. I apologise if i caused any offence..I've been caught out recently by downloading a document which wasn't what it appeared to be and caused some issues!! It wasn't personal

So much of the pressure we deem to be around is purely perceived. The curriculum is really only the statutory framework which is very open...any curriculum decisions are up to us as settings (within pre-school provisions) . Systems like tapestry of course are based on what a child can do and not what they can't . it is only when you start to track them against others that this becomes a 'race to the finish' . If we have knowledgeable and strong leadership models then the process of testing can be alleviated if they truly understand how children learn. I am really keen to let children learn through play..so much of their learning is a process of experience...like learning to write cannot be forced before the core body is ready to do so. There is a pressure from the government to see results for the money they are putting in to the system, they like to quantify what they are getting for their dollar so they try to put education in to the same system.....set a starting point, spend some time and money, test at the end and what do we get for each pound spent???? This may be alright for some industries but tricky when you are talking about human beings! Add to this other issues that children might face (SEND/EAL/deprivation/age!) and it all starts to unravel.

I think all of our children deserve the right to be children, to experience and explore . There is no exact definition to being school ready...lets avoid creating one, otherwise this will become another goal to be ticked off the list of ever increasing testing!