Welcome to the July FSF newsletter.

We are approaching the end of an extraordinary school year where we are living, educating and learning in a very different world to the one that existed when the school year began back in September 2019. Early years settings and schools will be saying goodbye to children moving on to Reception and Year 7 when they have only just welcomed them back. Transitions are back to front, with lots needing to be done at the receiving end to compensate for the preparations that may not have happened back at base camp.  In response to the unique circumstances surrounding transitions this year, Bristol Early Years Teaching School Alliance have produced a thoughtful, comprehensive and practical guide on how to support children. The learning year has a rhythm, and this year the rhythm has been interrupted. But we hope that whether you are in a setting that remains open all year round, or in a school that is coming to the end of term, you will be able to find a moment to pause and reflect on the unexpected, the adaptations you are making and the achievements you have created. 

There has been rapid movement in the education world this month, and what was new information yesterday can seem old news today. The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that all children will be back at school in September, while updated guidelines for the early years sector state that from the 20th July the rules around 'bubbles' can be relaxed. The Early Years Alliance has published a report with data provided by Ceeda on the worsening financial crisis facing early years settings. We also have a new shadow Education Secretary, Kate Green, who replaces Rebecca Long-Bailey. 

The revised EYFS has been published, with changes to the educational programmes and the Early Learning Goals in response to the EYFS Reforms consultation.  Changes to frameworks and guidance offer the opportunity to reflect on the learning environments we provide for young children. Kathryn Solly writes about how we can shift towards outdoor learning, acknowledging the health benefits of being outside associated with the pandemic and how we can build a rich curriculum for the future based around outdoor spaces. 

In the wider world, educators everywhere will be looking again at how they model anti-racism to nurture and grow tolerance, kindness, fairness and justice within all children. 

We'd like to welcome back members from the following authorities, who have renewed their LA subscription. Members from these authorities need do nothing; their individual accounts will automatically be re-subscribed:

Derbyshire - 13th year

This month we have something interactive for you! We have created a short survey relating to your experiences over the last few months and looking to the future. Responses are anonymous and we will use them to inform our article themes and to support our public relations and marketing as well as to inform the way we develop Tapestry and the Foundation Stage Forum. We would love to hear your views. To take part in the survey please follow this link. 

New on the FSF this month we have an article by Julian Grenier, Reflecting on the EYFS Curriculum. Julian is headteacher of Sheringham Nursery School and Children's Centre, which is also a Research School where practice and research meet and evolve together. He is currently working with the Department for Education on the update to Development Matters. We also have a piece by early years consultant Leslie Patterson, The 3Rs Re-imagined. Leslie shares her 3Rs,  Resilience, Relationships and CReativity. Coming up in our Primary section, look out for Jack's celebration of Year 6 as they say goodbye to an unconventional final year at primary school. 

Take a moment to have a quick read of our Coffee Breaks with your cuppa. There are thoughts on the back to front transitions into new year groups, settings and schools in September in All packed and ready to go?, and we take a closer look at the new educational programmes in the revised EYFS. 

The education team have an array of new podcasts for you. We have been joined by Alistair Bryce Clegg to explore play and transition as children return to nursery and school; Helen Moylett to discuss inequality, children's voices and policy change; and Learning Coach and SLT member Aimee Durning and Head Teacher Dr James Biddulph share their reflections from the University of Cambridge Primary School. You can listen to our podcasts on Apple Podcasts or Spotify as well as other platforms, and remember to subscribe so you know when a new one is available.  

Tapestry has added the revised Early Learning Goals as an additional Framework ('ELG 2020') for those users who are planning to be early adopters. A manager on your account can turn them on from the browser version by going to the Control Panel, Settings, then Assessments. Enabling 'ELG 2020' won't remove the current ELGs from the EYFS framework or snapshot screens. We are waiting to see what the new Development Matters will look like. For those of you getting ready to receive new children, you now have the ability to add children as 'enrolling'. These additional children don't contribute to the number of active children on your package and you can't use all the functions of Tapestry with them. You can read more about it in this tutorial. Finally for this month, you can now access accident forms outside the Care Diary. Find out about this option here. 

Take care and stay safe.