'The EYFS is a play-based and child-led framework: All practitioner groups welcome the play-based and child-led nature of the guidance and view it as a validation of early years principles, or as a return to early years approaches after a period in which pre-school was conceptualised as preparation for school: many participants are relieved that the period from birth to five is now recognised as an important phase of development per se)'

Open EYE had a meeting with the new Minister Sarah Teather in November and shared some of our concerns with her. We are hopeful that this meeting will be the first of many others where our input could prove to be of value.

It is still too early to comment with any degree of certainty on the new coalition government's early years policy direction, as it is ultimately what they actually do that will determine whether they prove to be more open than the previous government to the kinds of principled arguments we have consistently put forward since 2007. We still very much hope that some of our initial impressions and concerns (as illustrated, for example, in the report below on league tables) prove to be wrong. 

and in the introduction to her Exchange article, 'Knowledge, Understanding, and the Disposition to Seek Both,' Professor Lilian Katz makes these observations about the current rush to set standards:

"During the last two decades federal and state educational agencies have put forward national and state standards for academic achievement for all of our children at all levels of education.  Invariably, the main purposes of such standards are stated in terms of what all children "should know and be able to do."  Thus far no reference to goals such as the dispositions to use the knowledge, and to be willing to do what they are expected to become able to do, have been seen.  In other words, these national and state documents omit reference to the importance of young children "wanting to know" and becoming "eager to do; - or in any other sense, strengthening and supporting positive dispositions to go on learning and to use what is learned.  Furthermore, performance standards that emphasize the acquisition of knowledge tend to omit reference to the importance of understanding the knowledge, or reference to the disposition to seek understanding.

"For children growing up to become responsible participants in a democracy, the disposition to seek understanding of the complex issues and decisions for which we all share responsibility should be a major goal of education at every level.  At the preschool level this goal means supporting young children's natural nosiness about things and events around them worth understanding.  The disposition to seek understanding is one of several important inborn dispositions that early childhood educators should strive to support and strengthen, by providing a wide range of opportunities for young children to explore an d investigate important aspects of their environments and experiences."

The BBC reported that more than half of five-year-old boys are struggling in the basics after a year at primary school. Some 53.1% of boys of this age are struggling with skills such as reading and writing, and emotional and social development.
In comparison, 34.9% of girls are failing to reach this target - a gender gap of 18.2 percentage points.

'The figures reveal that one in six (15.1%) boys could not write their own name by the age of five, compared to just 6.9% of girls.
Some 9.6% of boys could not say the letters of the alphabet, compared with 5.5% of girls, the data shows. And 9% of boys could not do simple adding up by the age of five, while for girls that figure was 6.1%.

The data also reveals that poorer pupils, particularly poor boys, are falling behind their richer classmates. A quarter (24.9%) of poor boys could not write their own name, compared to 12.9% of poor girls, while 16.2% of poor boys could not say the letters of the alphabet. For poor girls, this figure was 9.7%.'

The government said it was concerned boys were lagging behind girls and will no doubt react by putting more pressure on nurseries to improve literacy and numeracy. And yet this is the exact opposite of what is needed which is clearly demonstrated by the increasing body of international research. Boys develop in different developmental ways, and according to different developmental timescales, to girls and it is highly misleading (and potentially highly damaging) to produce such comparative results for such young children as it is likely to lead to the introduction of developmentally inappropriate pressures.

Read the BBC item

Educators want a children's radio service to replace the BBC Asian Network that is listed for closure next year.

Following MP Frank Field's call fora more positive approach to learning at home in the Foundation Years, The Sound Start Group says radio is an accessible and cost-efficient way to provide daily support for families with young children and to help tackle the worrying increase in language delay identified in reviews by John Bercow MP and Sir Jim Rose.

Chaired by the Baroness Warnock, Sound Start supporters claim that children are marginalised in PSB radio as the BBC reduces audio for four to six year olds and moves it on line, with increasing reliance on screen and keyboard access that is often blamed for deteriorating communication skills, increased attention disorders and early childhood obesity.

"Many children are joining nursery without the most basic of skills for life", says Lady Warnock. "They haven't learned to listen, talk and express themselves or to understand simple instructions. This seriously undermines their social inclusion and future education opportunities".
 

Read more about Sound Start