'The phonics debate has raged for decades and for

every piece of research that argues one way, there is
another that comes to a different conclusion. Most expert

bodies agree that there is no 'one way' to teach reading

and that synthetic phonics is just one approach that

should be considered amid a variety of others, tailored

to meet each child's individual needs. They also agree

that what matters most is that children see learning as

interesting, challenging and fun, and most importantly

of all, do not suddenly start to see themselves as

suddenly 'failing' the adults in their world.'  

      

In March the Department for Education announced that next January the Level 3 diploma for the children and young people's workforce, developed by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and originally set to be launched last September, will replace all existing early years qualifications. This includes those of Montessori and Steiner schools that currently provide their own qualifications, which are the equivalent of a minimum Level 4 and 5 diploma respectively. 

Needless to say the umbrella organisations for both pedagogies are demanding that Education Secretary Michael Gove rethinks the decision but were told that they will have to wait until May to hear the decision. In March 2009 Mr Gove had this to say about the schools in the Evening Standard: 

 "They are educational movements that explicitly want to do things differently. They engage the passions of teachers and parents. They tend to have the results in the end, both in character and ability, that parents would want to see in their children...If we are about enabling choice and diversity it is only right to allow both movements to become essentially state-funded schools." 

Yet he is now threatening the very training that produces these high quality results. We wonder why there is not more focus on looking at what makes them different and whether their more holistic approaches have something really important to offer all early childhood educators.

Children and Young People Now - 8th March

Nursery World article - 9th March

 Times Educational Supplement - 1st April

Developmental scientist Alison Gopnik's article on teaching in Slate Magazine presents exactly the kind of research-based evidence that we should be encouraging here in the UK. She suggests that there is increasing scientific support for the intuitions many teachers have had all along: Direct instruction really can limit young children's learning.

Read the full article  

The three Early Day Motions that were recently been tabled by MPs concerned about early years issues, and that we profiled in our newsletter special, have all been gaining support.These are the full details of the relevant EDMs:

EDM 1483    SAVE OUR NURSERIES CAMPAIGN  28.02.2011

Goldsmith, Zac

That this House recognises that private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers fulfil a vital role in the care and education of pre-school children; welcomes the work of the Save Our Nurseries Campaign; notes that the previous administration's Code of Practice on the provision of free nursery education and the Early Years Single Funding Formulae developed by local authorities threaten PVI providers' viability by imposing price controls and have forced, and will continue to force, providers to close or opt out of providing funded places, leading to a loss of funded nursery places and a two-tier pre-school system; requests the Government to revise the Code of Practice to allow flexibility to providers to continue to charge additional top-up fees to meet the shortfall between the funding of the entitlement and the actual cost of providing a place; and requires the entitlement truly to promote choice and diversity for parents to enable children to attend high quality provisions.

EDM 1484     RECOGNITION OF MONTESSORI QUALIFICATIONS   28.02.2011

Goldsmith, Zac

That this House is concerned that the Children's Workforce Development Council proposals to reform training for workers with children aged under 5 will remove recognition from Montessori training courses provided only by practitioners qualified and experienced in that approach to children's education; notes that continued recognition of Montessori qualifications should be given where these are taught by qualified and experienced Montessori practitioners, using recognised, accredited Montessori schools for practical training experience; and requests the Government to ensure that such provision may continue to provide over 640 Montessori schools with access to appropriately trained staff, thereby supporting parental choice and enabling children from all backgrounds to continue to achieve high educational standards.

EDM 1532    PHONICS-BASED READING TEST FOR SIX YEAR OLDS 03.03.2011

Brooke, Annette

That this House endorses the views of many early years experts in calling for a rethink on the introduction of a phonics-based reading test for all 6 year olds; believes that phonics can play a crucial part in reading but that a simplistic exclusive focus on phonics can distort children's learning and limit the breadth of their experience; believes that reading should be enjoyable and that children need to look for meaning as they read in order to develop fluency and understanding; and further believes that young children need to have highly trained teachers with an understanding of child development and that such teachers are best placed to identify children who are not reading at an appropriate level for their age and level of development through appropriate monitoring and observation.

We hope that you will encourage your own MPs to support any EDM that helps to protect young children from inappropriate interventions and that preserves the quality and diversity of early years settings, as well as their financial sustainability.

You can find out the contact details of your local MP by going to this link: www.findyourmp.parliament.uk   

To find out how to contact your MP, see 

www.parliament.uk/about/contacting/mp  

In March Minister Sarah Teather announced that the government would not back down on top-up fees, even if it meant that some providers would opt out of the free entitlement scheme. Private and voluntary nursery providers have warned that a two-tier system will be created, with children from disadvantaged families losing out on nursery places.

Anne-Marie True, chair of Save Our Nurseries, said, '

We are disappointed at the minister's decision to outlaw top-ups. To enforce what is effectively a price control will ultimately destroy the nursery sector. Her open promotion of side charges for extras is essentially dishonest. It is only a matter of time before a provider is taken to court as disproportionate amounts of money are being charged outside the free entitlement to remain sustainable.

'It is the child who will ultimately suffer, as inevitably high standards and quality will be jeopardised. Some will cut standards in a battle to stay within unrealistic price controls. Many unsung heroes will lose their jobs as more nurseries close down as a result of this flawed and unsustainable policy. Others will opt out, creating a two-tier system in nursery education.'

Read Catherine Gaunt's Nursery World article 

Kerra Maddern's article in the TES talked about the drastic increase in SEN that is being reported countywide. A two-year project led by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) has found that "urgent action" is needed to help teachers adapt to a new generation of pupils with previously unseen special needs and disabilities.  

Of course we should be responding appropriately to such an increase, but surely the most important thing is to understand why it is happening.

Read the full article here 

A survey of 1,025 parents, which forms part of the independent Bailey Review of Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood, found that nearly half are unhappy with programmes or adverts on TV before the 9pm watershed. 

Specific areas of concern for parents include the belief that clothes need to be clearly age-appropriate and not simply scaled-down versions of adult fashion and that music videos and pre-watershed TV contain increasingly sexualised content.

Parents also feel under pressure to buy non-essential items for their children so they don't feel left out.

Read the Children and Young People Now article