Urgent Review of EYFS Policy Framework

Dear All

How do you feel about the EYFS due to become a compulsory policy framework in September 2008??

It could have a large inpact on parental choice, may harm children's development, put undue pressure on children, and add to the amount of assessment carried out on children by those who provide care for them!!

Below is a link to a Petition on the Goverment's 10 Downing Street website, please do have a LOOK and SIGN if you feel strongly about it.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/OpenEYE/

hattyhar

[sarahnev707]

I'm not sure we have any choice do we? It's already been rolled out, cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds and is in legislation... I wouldn't think any govt is going to admit they have made a mistake!

Don't get me wrong, there are definitely parts of it, as a Childminder, that will be unworkable or very difficult to implement, but there are also some excellent bits which will raise achievement levels for every child if the training is effective and it is used properly.

[Ruthierhyme]

Many childcare places should have a fairly easily adaptable framework already in operation so stepping up (or maybe even down) to the EYFS structure shouldn’t be too bad.

I do feel that support and network – access to help should be more readily available and better promoted for anyone in need .. start up groups, childminders and interested parents !!

Paperwork is paperwork a pita* but necessary part of monitoring and recording for reflection & assurance of what’s being offered .. what the children experience as learning opportunities because of that framework should be enhanced from a delivery point of view rather than lessened because of what people think about it ..


Pita* - Pain in the proverbial

Great thread thanks for posting this ..

[Ruthierhyme]

Hattyhar how does this affect your role ?

Hi Ruth

Actually it won't really affrect my role at all, acept that children seem to be already far more stressed than they used to be, and these EYFS will probably increase it even more.

I think that in reality, we know that this will mean staff working with children will be far more stressed and children always pick up on this, which is not at all healthy.

Also any added stress to children's lives does not impact well on child health. Children who are under stress will sleep less effectively, and will have far less access to freedom in play to enjoy, without achieving an outcome.

I think it would be good if we could go back to far more relaxed learning through play. We know that levels of asthma, eczema and a wide range of allergies are on the increase and that these are always exacerbated by stress, but we don't put the two together!!!!

I wish we could think of children's health and wellbeing and see the child as more of a whole, rather than focus on learning all the time!

The impact on my job (a hospital play specialist) is that children who are more stressed, feel pain far more and find putting into practice relaxation techniques to manage pain, far more difficult to learn and use. I wish early years providers could see the children from the other side, the side I see when they are not in early years settings. Children as young as 4 years worry about missing things at nursery, and not fun things like an outing, but that they will get behind with their learning. This is very worrying. I wonder how many of these children will have a heart attack in their 30's. Having people who work around children, being put under pressure is not at all good for children.

I guess I am always likely to see things differently to those of you who have to focus on ahieving outcomes, goals or what ever they are called now!!!

hattyhar

[cabin]

This is were the trouble lies.. an experienced committed practioner can see the 'learning outcomes' or (whatever you like to call them) in ANY activity - literally! be it helping to clear away toys, preparing snacks, sorting out what to wear from the prop box ect.... the problems come when inexperienced staff try to take on the role of a 'teacher' rather than a 'facilitor'..... they then produce a tick list and the downward spiral begins.
We need to be educating the parents more than the children, and once again this takes staff that are both knowledgeable and confident to expain child development to parents/carers - not always an easy task.
........... and this is where the crunch comes......... once a person gets to this level, many start to think..all this for mimium wage(or slighty above if your lucky)??????? and go off and get a better paid job...with a pension and other benifits.

I can totally see what you are saying, something really needs to change!!

You can't expect high standard experienced practioners to stay in this field for a long time, if they are not shown how important they are in terms of pay, pension, working conditions etc

Unfortunately too many childcare facilities are staffed with many NVQ L2's and there aren't enough people trained at a higher level to be good role models in practice.

Sorry if I don't use the current terms, but since it is a little while since I worked in early years day care, I can't remember whether it is "learning outcomes" "learning goals" etc.

hattyhar