AnonyMouse_4544

Lets never forget in Europe they do not begin full time formal education untill much later and yet they are speaking three languages by the time they are ten.

or that most Swedish/Finish/ Danish children are already reading when they start school because they have been taught in the home or that most French children are taught to read at Ecole maternelle and once they start school it is much much more formal than English schools

If children have made the expected progress in phonics and are working securely in phase 3, and attaining your average 6 points, then they should actually be reading yellow or even blue books at the end of the reception year.

You are doing children a dis service if you are not working to attain these skills, although not all children will achieve this. Reading is a skill that needs to be taught and should not be left to child initiation.

I agree totally Susan I would actually be horrified if children who have had good EYFS teaching (and no SEN) weren't reading well beyond red level.

It does say September 2012 in your nursery world link

 

Rachel

September 2012 is when it will be implemented in settings but I was talking about when the document will be in schools and other settings... which suggests it has been printed before the consultation is closed.

The EYFS framework will be revised and the final version published in October or November 2011.

The new EYFS will be implemented in September 2012.

Hi everyone

 

Just a quickie that I'm sure someone can answer really quickly for me ... is there any difference between my hard copy of the Guidance dated 2007 and the electronic copy 2008?

 

Things appear to be on different pages and just wanted to be certain that I was ok referring to my 2007 copy and I wasn't missing anything!

 

Cheers

 

Gem

Yes the original EYFS document released in 2007 was found to contain a number of errors and it was reprinted in May 2008 to correct the errors and a few changes were made the electronic version is the correct version

Hi

 

I'm currently trying to persuade our parent committee to buy the Community Playthings Pre-School set of unit blocks of 149 blocks in 20 shapes

 

http://www.communityplaythings.co.uk/produ...locks/G431.html

 

for indoor block play (we already have the hollow blocks for our decking area) at a cost of £787 including a fixed shelf unit.

 

The committee have come back asking whether they are value for money given that they have found some Melissa and Doug blocks for £70 plus £57 delivery for 60 blocks http://www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-60-Pi...58778&sr=8- .

 

I have already replied pointing out some of the benefits of the CP blocks such as:

They are modular so can be used with other CP blocks

 

CP have been making them for 50 years

 

They have a 10 year guarantee

 

They are the gold standard in Early Years (on everybody's wish list if they don't have them)

 

It is important to have sufficient blocks to enable children to be creative without having to fight for blocks

 

The fixed shelf unit would enable children to select the exact block they require as well as to sort blocks according to size and shape etc when tidying up

 

I have explained my wish to have good quality resources over quantity. We have the money, it is a question of spending hard earned money wisely.

 

I had a similar battle over the tea set I eventually bought, against cheeper plastic versions.

 

However, their lack of response seems to indicate that I have still not managed to convince them of the merits of the CP blocks. So I was wondering if anybody could suggest any further benefits of the CP blocks over others? Or indeed if you think I am being too picky and the Melissa and Doug blocks are adequate? At the moment I would rather not have any, but that is a bit like throwing my rattle out of the pram!

 

Any help appreciated.

The Community Playthings blocks are made so that each block is in a direct size ratio to their other blocks so they develop mathematical concepts through play you won't get with cheaper random sized blocks http://www.communityplaythings.co.uk/resou...-not-equal.html

http://www.communityplaythings.co.uk/resou...h-literacy.html

http://www.communityplaythings.co.uk/resou...-brilliant.html

We have asked applicants to plan and deliver a short small group activity and then to feed back what they thought the children had gained from the experience provided.

As a school we don't employ anyone below a level 3 and EY experience is essential in both nursery and reception. As we employ people on contracted hours not the same hours as the children it isn't particularly attractive to parents of our pupils.

We are talking October this year only a month after the consultation closes

I thought they said Spring 2012....................where have you seen Autumn?? At least I'd have longer to train everyone.

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/1063265...EYFS-framework/

http://www.early-years-update.com/node/6707

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/educa...-framework.aspx

It is also on the DfE site I'll find the link

My thoughts:

 

Respond to the consultation is all I can say to this, or write to your MP with your responses to the speech. Lobbying can bring results.

 

cx

Call me cynical but the consultation runs from June to September and the final version of the renewed EYFS will be printed and delivered into settings by Oct/Nov ...

I have now scoured for meaning and can only find rhetoric and soundbites.

 

 

Cx

I'm so pleased I'm not alone

Both UNESCO and the US State Dept put UK adult literacy at 99% then other research says 20% illiteracy in school leavers ... does 19% of school leavers become literate after leaving?

Statistics ...

With every step the government seems more out of touch. Who is advising them? Are they listening?

Levels of literacy have fluctuated only slightly since the 1940s I'm not sure about numeracy levels.

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/000000650.htm

http://nces.ed.gov/naal/lit_history.asp

[url=http://www.14to19.co.uk/2010/05/20-leave-school-functionally-illiterate-and-innumerate/]http://www.14to19.co.uk/2010/05/20-leave-school-functionally-illiterate-and-innumerate/[/ur

I think there are lots of teachers who find they have to cram a lot into the reception year to get 4-5 year olds achieving these goals

• read a range of familiar and common words and simple sentences independently;
  
• write their own names and other things such as labels and captions and begin to form simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation;
  
• use their phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words;
  

I think it would be harder to prevent an inquisitive 5 year old from meeting the criteria to achieve the first 4 goals you've listed to be honest the phonics goals would require some direct input .... but taught very differently

Which goes to prove that starting formal schooling earlier does not raise literacy levels above those who start later. So why bother?

As has already been pointed out the difference is that once children start school in many European countries it becomes very intensive right away so effectively cramming in all that gentle introduction into a single year.

It appears that some countries defined additional criteria: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Poland, and Spain excluded students with dyslexia; Denmark also students with dyscalculia; Luxembourg recently immigrated students.

 

Well if the research is so flawed, what is the point of the comparisons? Is the PISA research the only way to compare country's literacy levels?

There is a lot of research out there which shows that starting formal schooling earlier has no benefit to a child's education in the long run.

I don't think the full facts make such good headlines ...

The UNESCO data puts the UK adult literacy at the same level as Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway at 99

Well, if our education system has got it right (introducing formal learning earlier) why do we not do as well as those who start formal schooling later?

 

Here's some interesting facts:

 

KEY FEATURES OF THE FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

 

All teachers must have a master's degree before they start teaching.

 

Compulsory schooling starts at seven with voluntary play-based kindergarten for younger children.

 

No national testing, inspections or school league tables. The government looks at an 8 to 10 per cent sample of pupils' work to check on performance.

 

Pupils transfer to either an academic or a vocational school at the age of 16 after nine years of compulsory schooling.

 

No university fees for home or EU students. Pilot of fees for overseas students from outside the EU.

 

KEY FEATURES OF THE ENGLISH SYSTEM

 

Teaching is an all-graduate profession but there are moves to allow free schools to employ unqualified teachers.

 

Compulsory schooling starts at five.

 

National tests for 11-year-olds with school league tables based on the results.

 

Secondary-school league tables are based on GCSE and A-level results, plus absence rates.

 

Students face fees of up to £3,000 a year in English universities – going up to a maximum of £9,000 in September 2012. Non-EU students can be charged full-cost annual fees of £28,000

 

Here's the full article: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/educatio...ld-2289083.html

.....according to the article, Gove supposedly said he wants to go down the Finnish path........ in what way has he done this exactly?

Another interesting feature of the Finnish system is that it isn't quite as successful as it appears ... in their returns they exclude pupils with dyslexia dyscalcula and EAL so not a fair comparison

http://www.comenius-individual-support.eu/..._digest%202.pdf

The Finns have already said their model won't work here because the government won't allow schools to operate on a profit system

That's an interesting perspective Marion. I'd not thought of it like that.

 

It sounds as though Gove wants it to be less gentle though, doesn't it

He seems to have lost sight of the fact that statutory school age is 5 not 3 year olds in nursery!

Interestingly I was talking to someone about different education systems. She had actually been talking to heads who had taught in a variety of European countries and who believed that the UK system is by far the most "gentle" on the children by teaching them the basics slowly over a long period of time in contrast to other systems where pre school has no formal learning but then becomes very intensive. It was something I hadn't considered given the criticism of the UK system

The full speech is here

Education Secretary Michael Gove has stressed the Government's intention to take radical action 'to tackle the scandal of our educational underclass', talking of the need to ensure 'school readiness' for children who arrive in reception class 'unable to form letters or even hold a pencil'.

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/bulleti...seryWorldUpdate

ASDA had them last year for a £1

Hi, does anyone have posters cards that can be displayed next to toys such as jigsaws or blocks that explain all the different things a child can learn from these toys?

 

Thanks

I like these