TEY-10.2

Teachearlyyears.com 25 KEY FACTS ABOUT THE EYFS REFORMS l A revised EYFS Framework will become statutory from September 2021. The Framework is likely to be virtually identical to the early adopters EYFS framework - see link below. l Infant and primary schools could choose to become Early Adopters from September 2020. l Early Adopters are exempted from the current Statutory Framework and instead use the Early Adopters EYFS Framework (bit.ly/30L9INr) and Early Adopters EYFS Profile Handbook (bit.ly/2PGnnz5 ). expected to ensure a strong foundation for children’s development in the three prime areas. The specific areas of learning provide children with a broad curriculum and with opportunities to strengthen and apply the prime areas of learning.” But don’t be confused: it’s still the case that the prime areas matter because they are foundational for the other areas of learning and, moreover, are particularly time-sensitive in terms of children’s development. The wording may have changed, but child development has not. What has changed The most extensive changes in the new framework are the Educational Programmes and the Early Learning Goals (ELGs). These have been entirely re-written. Key changes to the ELGs include: l Communication and Language (C&L) “Listening and attention” has become “Listening, attention and understanding” and the separate “Understanding” ELG has gone. “Speaking” (and several other ELGs) refer multiple times to “recently- introduced vocabulary”, which is an unhelpfully ambiguous term despite the DfE’s aspiration that these ELGs should be clearer than the previous ones. l Physical Development is reduced to only fine and gross motor skills, with self- care confusingly removed to Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and no mention of proprioception and the vestibular system which are key to cognitive and emotional, as well as physical, development. l Personal, Social and Emotional Development includes a problematic attempt to include Executive Function which, while important, is a complex concept not well captured in the proposal and not widely understood. The ELG on Building Relationships also includes an inappropriate requirement for children to “Form positive attachments to adults and friendships with peers”, despite the evidence that attachment is dependent on a range of factors which children cannot control, and particularly the behaviour of the adults around them. l Literacy splits the ELG for Reading into an ELG for Comprehension and one for Word Reading (ie decoding). Splitting comprehension and decoding is not helpful, and the ELGs are based on contested and restrictive approaches which focus on phonics only. l Mathematics has controversially lost Shape, Space and Measure as an ELG although after extensive pressure from the sector it was restored to the Educational Programme. The ELGs are now “Number” and “Numerical Patterns”. The focus on a deep understanding of numbers to ten has been widely welcomed, but the inclusion of automatic recall of number bonds and double facts is not supported by any research relating to children of this age. The numerical pattern ELG is too narrow, meaning that broader understanding of pattern making as well as shape, space and measure may be seen as less important, despite the extensive evidence about the importance of spatial thinking. l Understanding the World loses all its current ELGs, and technology disappears entirely from the framework despite the importance of STEM subjects. The new “Past and Present”, “Culture and Communities” and “Natural World” ELGs inappropriately mirror a Year 1 split of History, Geography and Science and suggest children should be learning primarily from books instead of first-hand experiences, in decontextualised ways which are inappropriate for children of this age. l Expressive Art and Design changes from “Exploring and using media and materials” to “Creating with materials”, focusing more on product than process. “Being imaginative” becomes “Being imaginative and expressive” but unfortunately focuses more on passive consumption of cultural experiences, rather than prioritising exploration and creativity, which are key for young children. Next steps New non-statutory guidance and exemplification materials will be published in due course (see box above), so there will be plenty more to digest. So we hope schools don’t rush into early adoption, especially given other current challenges. Let’s all give ourselves time between now and September 2021 to get to grips with the changes and make sure that we keep focusing on what is best for our children. Beatrice Merrick is chief executive of Early Education, a national early years membership association providing professional learning and support for the early years sector. early-education.org.uk