Responses to the consultation demonstrated overwhelming support for the EYFS... We acknowledge the concerns that have been raised and are carefully considering these to ensure that the final EYFS meets the needs of all children, parents and providers. The department dispatched over 45,000 copies of the consultation document and received over 1,800 responses.
Format and language
Many respondents expressed the view that the document must be clearer...
There was concern about the language, length and layout of the document and a strong feeling that the presentation did not allow all members of the workforce to understand it... Responses also highlighted some concerns that the learning and development guidance sections were complex and often difficult to navigate.
The Department has taken on board the comments and will use these to ensure the layout and design of the final package is as clear and user-friendly as possible. We will also make appropriate changes to the language and presentation within the framework to achieve greater clarity. The document will clarify the statutory requirements with which providers should comply, and we will ensure the various sections of the document are presented in the most appropriate fashion.
Rose Review
Some respondents were particularly concerned that... we could 'over-implement' Rose in a way which might lead to too much formality within the early years... The most common concern... is that the child-centred approach of the EYFS does not sit well with the 'raising the bar' and the 'phonics first' approach.
The department is clear that systematic and discrete phonics, undertaken within a broad and rich curriculum, should be the prime approach taught to all children in learning to recognise words.
Good phonics teaching should be engaging and multisensory, and should develop all four interdependent strands of language: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Particularly in the early stages, it is important to foster speaking and listening skills... This is the approach which is taken within the EYFS framework.
A change to one of the early learning goals is necessary in order to secure the (Rose) recommendations .... Some respondents to the EYFS consultation were concerned about this change. A concern was also raised about the developmental appropriateness of the Early Learining Goals (ELGs)...
However, 72 percent of all respondents to the (parallel) QCA consultation agreed with the proposed change. This suggests strong support for the proposed change.
Inclusion
* A significant number of respondents commented that the icons used to represent children's developmental stages... are misleading and not inclusive....We accept the concerns... and will (instead) use colour and shading... to indicate different stages.
* A number of respondents believed that the draft... did not clarify providers' other legal duties with regard to inclusion. We will ensure that the final EYFS package is absolutely clear.
* Many argued strongly that the principle (on valuing diversity) should be stronger in order to convey the sense that no child should be excluded or disadvantaged because of ethnicity. We accept this argument but are keen to capture this alongside (and with equal status to) the importance of making the most of and valuing diversity. We are considering a new principle which captures this picture.
* Some respondents felt that inclusion could be threaded throughout the document more explicitly....In producing the final EYFS package we will ensure that it is fully inclusive.
* Significant numbers of respondents commented that (SEN and inclusion) training and support will be essential (for all providers)....(EYFS) training...will incorporate...inclusion and supporting children with special educational needs or disabilities.
Ratios and qualifications
1:13 ratio in PVI settings
A majority (58 per cent) thought that the EYFS ratio requirements were unhelpful. Many commented that they did not think one adult to 13 children is sufficient to provide high quality provision, regardless of the type of setting, and some thought that a ratio of 1:13 might put children at risk.
Some respondents did not feel that Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) or other suitable level 6 qualifications should be regarded as equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status and were concerned that EYPs would not be able to deliver the same quality of provision as qualified teachers.
We are confident that practitioners holding EYPS will have skills comparable to those of qualified teachers....Other level 6 qualifications will only be deemed suitable if we are confident that they include the necessary practical experience to ensure quality provision.
We continue to believe it is appropriate that the EYFS framework allows flexibility for registered providers to apply a ratio of one adult to 13 where they employ staff with the required qualifications.
Reception classes
Eighteen per cent of respondents were concerned... that the EYFS framework will not place any additional ratio requirements on reception classes, and that children... could, potentially, be in a class of 30 children to one adult... The average size of a reception class is 24.7 children, there are increasing numbers of teachers and support staff in schools and pupil:adult ratios are improving across all phases of education. We therefore feel it unnecessary to introduce further regulation in this area.
Qualifications
* The draft framework would require (Ofsted-registered sessional) settings to meet the same requirements as full day-care settings - a level 3 present with each group of children.
* We want to ensure that schools continue to assign school teachers to teach in nursery classes, and so the final EYFS framework will make this a legal requirement.
* Fifty per cent of respondents thought that the qualification requirements in the draft framework were set at an appropriate level. However, 31 per cent did not, a significant number of whom thought the consultation document... should have set higher requirements on staff qualifications.
* We do not believe it would be appropriate to set the qualification requirements much higher now, when we know a lot of providers will not be in a position to meet them. We do not, therefore, propose to change the qualification requirements in the final EYFS framework.
Childminders
The draft EYFS framework proposed that a childminder be allowed to care for a maximum of six children in total, and that no more than three of these six should be 'young children' and no more than one should be under one.
We are grateful to respondents for pointing out the unintended consequence of the requirements in the draft framework and will ensure that the final version maintains the existing position on the number of children that a childminder may care for.
Outdoor play
There were strong concerns that the consultation document did not propose placing a requirement on providers to have an outdoor play area.
The department recognises the importance of outdoor play... and acknowledges the strength of feeling on this issue... However, we are conscious... that some providers would have difficulty, both logistically and in terms of costs, in meeting a statutory requirement for an outdoor play area.
We are firm that high quality settings that may not necessarily have direct outdoor play facilities must engage children in outdoor play. The final package will strengthen the guidance in this area.
Implementing the EYFS
A clear message from the consultation is that the EYFS framework cannot raise standards and quality in isolation... We have made it clear that we do not expect the diverse range of early years settings/practitioners to implement the new EYFS without appropriate training and support.
The need for this training and support is behind our decision to publish the final EYFS package early in 2007 - allowing a long lead time prior to implementation and enabling local authorities to have a planned strategy for a roll-out of the training materials.
Local authorities now need to firm up their implementation plans for the framework and identify the training needed to support practitioners to deliver it as effectively as possible.
Further information
* The Early Years Foundations Stage: Response to the consultation is being released today (26 October) and will be posted on: www.dfes.gov.uk
* Has the Government done enough to address your concerns about the EFYS?
E-mail us at letters@nurseryworld.co.uk and tell us your reaction to the Government response
