The huge outcry over the proposed Early Years Foundation Stage outlined in the Childcare Bill (see News, page 4) indicates an amazing lack of awareness that we already have a Foundation Stage curriculum for three- to five-year-olds and a Birth to Three Matters Framework for babies and toddlers. Obviously few had noticed, either, that this new single framework for birth to fives has been under discussion for quite some time. Practice with under-threes is one of the weakest areas of early years provision, with the youngest and least trained members of staff often ending up in the baby room. The new framework should make it less likely, not more, that two-year-olds are doing worksheets all day!
The huge outcry over the proposed Early Years Foundation Stage outlined in the Childcare Bill (see News, page 4) indicates an amazing lack of awareness that we already have a Foundation Stage curriculum for three- to five-year-olds and a Birth to Three Matters Framework for babies and toddlers. Obviously few had noticed, either, that this new single framework for birth to fives has been under discussion for quite some time.
Practice with under-threes is one of the weakest areas of early years provision, with the youngest and least trained members of staff often ending up in the baby room. The new framework should make it less likely, not more, that two-year-olds are doing worksheets all day!
However, the decision to call the framework the Early Years Foundation Stage is reinforcing the view that this is a prescriptive curriculum rather than a means to promote high-quality services. And while the early years sector has every confidence in Lesley Staggs and her team to encourage best practice with children, the suspicion is that the Government will intervene to squeeze out creativity in favour of targets and testing (see 'In my view', page 35).
You can hear Lesley speak at Nursery World's conference on 22 November (see page 36).
Liz Roberts, editor
