Families In The Foundation Years.

[AnonyMouse_73]

New documents from the DfE for bed time reading.

Families in the Foundation years

 

This is also accompanied by the launch of the new website

http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/

 

Probably worth having a wander around when you get 5 minutes!

 

As always discussion, comments and thoughts can be shared here.

[AnonyMouse_19762]

Thank you!

[AnonyMouse_4619]

thank you

[AnonyMouse_5895]

Thank You Mundia - this looks very interesting. However I am a little disappointed with the following quote:

 

'Having trained teachers working with children in pre-school settings (for a substantial proportion

of time, and most importantly as the curriculum leader) had the greatest impact on quality, and

was linked specifically with better outcomes in pre-reading and social development at age 5.

Sylva, K. et al. (2004)'

 

and yet no mention of the impact of EYP's!

[AnonyMouse_832]

Thank You Mundia - this looks very interesting. However I am a little disappointed with the following quote:

 

'Having trained teachers working with children in pre-school settings (for a substantial proportion

of time, and most importantly as the curriculum leader) had the greatest impact on quality, and

was linked specifically with better outcomes in pre-reading and social development at age 5.

Sylva, K. et al. (2004)'

 

and yet no mention of the impact of EYP's!

 

 

Sorry I am really pleased to see that statement in - I am a QTS in a children's centre who may well lose my job as a result of being replaced by much cheaper EYP's - I have also achieved EYP status and although i respect the validity of the status i am afraid that it is NOT the same as the QTS qualification and therefore not interchangeable.

The children's centre core purpose used to acknowledged this by making it a requirement that there was a QTS leading but that seems to have been forgotten now!

Edited July 20, 2011 by surfer

[AnonyMouse_5895]

I think you may have misunderstood my post. My disappointment was not with the inclusion of the QTS reference but rather the exclusion of the EYP reference.

 

Neither am I suggesting that the QTS and EYP status are interchangeable. My observation was that the section in the publication was referring to early years for which the EYP status was intended (the CWDC website describes EYP's as 'the gold standard for those working with children under the age of five') and as such i would have expected EYP's to be mentioned.

[AnonyMouse_73]

Hi val

There is quite a lot about EYPS in the Supporting Families in the Foundation years document which accompanies the evidence pack that you have read.

 

When we think back historically,much of the movements in early years in recent years has come directly as a result of EPPE and other research which showed that higher qualified staff more often meant higher quality experiences for children. At the time of research there wasn't anything else other than QTS. It was this that led towards the creation of EYPS as well as better opportunities to study for foundation degrees, early years degrees etc.

 

The impact of the EYPS is real terms is not yet fully known, although I know there have been reports etc saying one thing or another. The first group of children who came through a provision led pedagogically by an EYP will still be quite young (maybe 6 or7, cant recall exactly?), and so the real long term effect of that could be some years away from determining. But even in the short term, we don't yet have strong evidence that an EYP in a setting has impacted significantly in, for example, improved EYFSP scores in school, or narrowing of the gap for disadvantaged children. Im sure there will be people out there researching this as we speak.

 

I hope that makes sense. Have a look at the other document, see what you think about where the thinking seems to be going with EYPS.

[AnonyMouse_5895]

You make a valid point Mundia. I will print off a copy of the Supporting Families in the Foundation Years document and have a read through. However from a quick glance I see it is quite large so it may take some time!

[AnonyMouse_73]

Yup, bed time or glass if wine reading!

[AnonyMouse_30147]

Well Mundia, I've just finished my bedtime reading!!!!

 

I actually think that if the website works come September it'll be one of the more friendly govt websites I've come across.

 

For those of you with a little less time on your hands the support document is the one I think we'll be hearing more about

 

It explains the term school readiness:

In their first few years children learn to walk and run, to speak and communicate, to relate to others, to play, explore their own curiosity, and to enjoy learning through their play, as well as beginning to read and write and use numbers. These are key elements of ‘school readiness’.

 

It explains a little more about the thinking for the longer funding hours in a day

 

The free early education that is available to all three and four year olds is just that – education. Universal early education, like school, may help parents manage their childcare costs and working patterns but that is not its principal purpose.

 

A hopeful quote for the future

DfE will consider further the question of the right ratio of staff to children in reception classes.

 

This less paperwork thing occurs because of a "should"

We also want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to choose the best quality childcare. So that parents see the level of quality that a setting provides as soon as they visit, we believe that providers should display their Ofsted rating

 

A hopeful comment on EYPS too:

The Government is continuing to fund both the New Leaders in Early Years and the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) programmes. Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) will continue to deliver the EYPS programme in 2011-12, and we anticipate that around 2000 new EYPs will start their training in the next financial year.

 

And finally let's hope this document isn't download only:

The draft revised EYFS also requires providers to share information with parents about how the EYFS is being delivered in the setting their child attends. We will prepare and publicise a summary EYFS document, tailored for parents which will support this dialogue

[AnonyMouse_30147]

Sorry last post was a little long but I couldn't resist adding this

 

In addition we will: double the number of teenage mothers

 

not a direct quote but how I read it first time round!!!

[AnonyMouse_37885]

That was how I read it too. Thought we were back to the good old days of Tory Sleaze!

[Guest]

Thank You Mundia - this looks very interesting. However I am a little disappointed with the following quote:

 

'Having trained teachers working with children in pre-school settings (for a substantial proportion

of time, and most importantly as the curriculum leader) had the greatest impact on quality, and

was linked specifically with better outcomes in pre-reading and social development at age 5.

Sylva, K. et al. (2004)'

 

and yet no mention of the impact of EYP's!

 

precisely why I have NO INTENTION whatsoever of becoming an EYP. Instead, I have topped up my PGCE/Cert Ed with the BA Hons in Education Studies rather than topping up my Early Years Foundation Degree with the Early Childhood Studies top up (with EYPS pathway). I have first hand experience of getting more respect for my teaching in the lifelong learning sector than I could ever hope to achieve as an EYP. My teaching colleagues have NO IDEA what an EYP is!!! Why do we bother?

[Guest]

the link to foundationyears.org.uk does not work for me, nor does it work if i put the full url directly into my browser.

[AnonyMouse_37784]

"Thank You Mundia - this looks very interesting. However I am a little disappointed with the following quote:

 

'Having trained teachers working with children in pre-school settings (for a substantial proportion

of time, and most importantly as the curriculum leader) had the greatest impact on quality, and

was linked specifically with better outcomes in pre-reading and social development at age 5.

Sylva, K. et al. (2004)'

 

and yet no mention of the impact of EYP's!"

 

 

When reading the above quote, which I presume is from the EPPE report, I think it's important to consider that it was written by Sylva et al in 2004, before the introduction of the EYP, which I believe was in 2007.

Edited August 4, 2011 by liberty

[AnonyMouse_8466]

When reading the above quote, which I presume is from the EPPE report, I think it's important to consider that it was written by Sylva et al in 2004, before the introduction of the EYP, which I believe was in 2007.

That's a good point, liberty. We EYPs need to keep banging the drum, and stressing the difference we are making to the settings we work in and ultimately to the children and families we support. The forthcoming review of qualifications will be interesting - wonder what will happen to the notion of having the Level 3 as the minimum qualification needed to work in early years, and whether EYPS will be substantively changed?